A Place For Us
by family-and-free-will
Summary: Set in a post apocalyptic universe, where humans are the minority in an angelic society. Enter the story of Sam, Dean and Castiel as they learn the truth about free will and the story behind the archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Lucifer, ultimately answering the question: Where do angels go when they die? (Emphasis on Destiel) OC (Elijah)
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Fanfiction so be nice! Though I do love some constructive criticism so please review, review, review! The first few chapters will be a little slow as I want to set the scene for the story first.**

**All characters of Supernatural belong to Kripke and the CW (lucky ducks)**

* * *

Castiel sat quietly in the shade of an oak, observing a man flying a large kite in a field. This was his favorite heaven, the Tuesday afternoon of an autistic man. If only his own life were as simple, the angel thought, sadly.

"Castiel!" his brothers voice boomed. "Stop sulking and come down here, I have a job for you."

Castiel frowned. Didn't he deserve a few minutes of peace?

"Fine."

He sighed, stretching out his wings and took off, out of the clear skies of his favorite Tuesday afternoon. Beyond the edge of each soul's personal heaven and the Garden, heaven was a void of clouds and dust. A hundred years ago, this void would have been alive with thousands of angels flying in and out of various heavens. Now there were none but Castiel and Joshua, who never left the Garden. Even St. Peter had left his post, Castiel noticed as he passed through the Gates and began his descent to Earth.

Like Heaven, the Earth had also changed a lot of the years. The human cities, monuments to their time on the Earth, had all but disappeared. Few were still kept as hubs of angelic activity. A hundred years ago, Lucifer had broken free of his cage and with his demon followers, had met in battle with the armies of heaven. Michael had ultimately defeated Lucifer, but not without collateral damage. The human population had nearly been driven to extinction and the few that still existed were constantly being auctioned off to the angels who now ruled the Earth. Castiel had never been the same after the Apocalypse. He had lost his mate in the crossfire, killed in the battle between Michael and Lucifer.

No, he was never the same after that.

Castiel landed roughly in Washington D.C. Michael had preserved the city and it had become the new angelic Capitol. It was ironic in a twisted sort of way.

"Hello Castiel!" Michael waved from a bench in the park where he'd landed.

"Out brooding again I suppose?" Castiel glared daggers at him. He knew that Michael was sympathetic of his loss, but he had a funny way of showing it. "Stop frowning, you're raining on my parade! I got elected President of Angelic U.S today, we should be celebrating!" Michael announced clapping his hands excitedly.

"I'm beginning to think you're taking after Gabriel."

Michael's laugh died in his throat and Castiel knew he had struck a nerve. "Hey, I lost someone too you know. I know it may not seem like it, but I do understand your pain. Gabriel was my best friend." Michael grimaced.

"And I still haven't stopped searched for him."

* * *

_"Father, where do angels go when they die?" Castiel asked curiously._

_"Humans die and go to heaven right? So then where do we go?"_

_The Lord reached down and propped the young angel up on his knee. "Ask yourself this, Castiel. Where do humans come from?"_

_"From the dust!" The angel chided._

_"And where does the dust come from?"_

_"From, dead things?"Castiel queried._

_The Lord laughed. "Almost, Castiel. You see, when angels die, they are reborn as humans. So you see why they are so important to us. When you are an angel, you serve heaven. When you are human, you are given free will so that you have the chance to earn an eternal place in heaven. This way Castiel, you are given three lives, one is to serve, another is too have freedom and the final life to find peace. Jesus was the one and only exception because he made this all possible. He was never an angel, he was born a human and he died so that your brothers and sisters could return to heaven after their time on Earth."_

_"So there is a place for us in heaven!" Castiel's blue eyes brightened. "How will we find our way back when we're human?" The angel asked._

_The Lord smiled warmly at Castiel."When angels die and become human, they do not remember their previous life. Most angels would not recognize their deceased brother or sister either. The only angels who will recognize a reborn angel are their soul mates. They will guide them back to the light, or into temptation."_

* * *

Silent tears ran down Castiel's face as he recalled the memory. Michael did not comment, as this was common of his brother. "Look." Michael began. "I know you probably don't think you are ever gonna find him, but you've just gotta have a little faith." Castiel lifted his eyes and met Michael's eyes.

"To be honest I really do have a job for you. I hear there is a pretty big auction happening down in Detroit today. Break it up for me will you? You might even find Dean-o." Castiel flinched at Gabriel's old nickname for Dean, but his gaze brightened.

Perfect.

The American angelic government was pretty strong under Michael's rule. Still, the biggest issue was human slave trafficking. There were rescue 'shelter-cities' specifically for human survivors but they were often raided by renegade angels and sold as 'pets'. It was despicable.

"Alright." Castiel sighed glad to have something to do. There was a sound of wings fluttering and then he was gone.

Castiel landed on a rooftop in the close to the inner city, but just out of sight. He noted the locations of at least a dozen other angels a Michael had sent in to help with the operation waiting for his signal. Castiel observed the area. There was a large stage centered in the middle of the crowd, with a line of humans shackled along the wall. The infamous Zachariah was acting as the auctioneer calling the humans one by one up to the podium. Castiel growed and began to formulate a plan in his head as Zachariah called the next human up to the stage.

Castiel felt his vessels heart stutter and felt his Grace thrash wildly. Similarly the man who was dragged up onto the stage began to feel something burning into him. The man raised his gaze to the the angel on the rooftop. Green eyes met blue and both the man and the angel collapsed. The man began to clutch at his chest as if it was on fire. He felt like he was having a heart attack. But the angel knew better. Impossible. After all these years...

"Dean!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Reviews are like Misha Collins. They make me very happy. So please, read and review! **

**All characters still belong to Kripke and the CW, I'm only borrowing them :)**

* * *

"Dean!" Castiel had completely given away his position but he no longer cared. The man dragging Dean by his chains have him a sharp kick in the side making him cry out in pain. Castiel felt a wave of rage roll over him, and he descended apon the stage with the wrath of Heaven.

"If you do not step down right now, so help me God, I will smite you right where you stand." Castiel growled, his wings looming over the crowd menacingly.

Zachariah grinned. "Castiel! Protector of the mud monkeys, comes to the rescue!"

Castiel pulled his angel blade out and held it at Zachariah's throat.

"Castiel, calm down. We've got the situation under control." Balthazar one of the angels sent on the mission, cautioned. Dean coughed nearby breaking Castiel out of his rage induced state.

"Dean."

"Oh dear." Balthazar realized. _Could it really be...? After all this time..._

"Castiel, take Dean and go, we've got it covered." The older angel assured him, as Zachariah was being apprehended. Castiel took a quick glance around at the thinning crowd before rushing to Dean. Pressing two fingers to his head, the pair disappeared from the stage and reappeared in a forest outside the city.

* * *

The angel cradled the man in his arms, and used his grace to wave away the chains and heal his injuries. Dean coughed and groaned loudly as he regained conciousness.

"What the hell."

"Actually we are still on Earth, if I am correct."

Dean glared at him. "Any existence where angels exist is Hell to me." He snarled, voice seething with contempt. Castiel flinched, looking hurt, but reminded himself that he wouldn't remember Castiel, or being an angel in his previous life.

"I'm not hear to hurt you Dean. I only want to help." Castiel whispered reached out, but drawing back when Dean flinched away from him. "You must be cold." Castiel noted observing his appearance. Dean shared similar features to his previous angel's vessel. He was tall, tan and well built, and his eyes, while still beautifully green, held a particular coldness to them.

Castiel tilted his head, trying to figure him out. How much pain had he suffered at the hands of angels to make him distrust them so much? Curious, Castiel concentrated and stared into the man's mind. He saw a face in particular that turned up in his memories quite often. A young boy with long hair and kind eyes, similar to Dean's. He noticed that both of them wore plaid quite often in his memories. Castiel waved his hand and replaced Dean's raggedy clothes with those he had found in his memories.

Dean stared down in suprise, at first with relief then anger. "How did you know...were you snooping around in my mind." Dean demanded.

Castiel grimaced guiltily. "Forgive me, I forget that this is frowned upon among humans."

"Of course it is! How would you like it if I went in and looked into your mind whenever I felt like it?"

_If only it were that easy_, Castiel thought.

"So, what was that back there? We're you trying to give me some sort of angelic induced heart attack?" Dean questioned.

"I don't know what your talking about." Castiel lied. "You were probably just having a panic attack. I wouldn't blame you, with what they put you through."

Dean's face drooped sadly. "None of it matters to me anymore. I stopped caring after my brother died. I could care less if you threw me back to Zachariah, but i'd prefer you kill me first."

Castiel's heart broke for him. "What's the matter?" A realization dawned on him. "You don't think you deserve to be saved."

Dean was silent.

Castiel, hesitated but then grabbed Dean and pulled him into a hug. Immediately his grace rejoiced at the contact, after so many years apart. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Dean was so stunned, he didn't even move. It was an awkward hug and as much as he distrusted the angel, he couldn't ignore the massive warmth radiating from the contact. Slowly, he raised his arms to return the gesture. He needed it.

* * *

Neither was sure how long they stayed like that, but it was defiantly longer than socially acceptable. Neither cared either. Dean knew that he should hate the angel. Despise him even. But he couldn't find it in himself to pull away. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had touched him in a way that wasn't meant to cause him harm. Castiel buried his face in Dean's hair and rubbed in circles on his back.

"God, I've missed you so much."

Dean stared at him quizzically and Castiel quickly changed the subject. "Do you have any other family, Dean?"

"They're all dead." he answered, shortly.

Castiel faltered and released Dean from his embrace. "I know that being around a bunch of angels is about the last thing you want to do right now, but would you like to stay...with me? I was only sent to rescue you, but it appears that you have no other place to go."

"Why would an angel want to rescue me?"

"We are not all bad, Dean."

Castiel voice was almost pleading. He had finally found Dean. His Dean. But he wanted to give him a choice. After all he was a human now. Free will and all that. Castiel was almost certain that he had been deprived of that the entirety of his human life. If he was going to get Dean to trust him, then he should give him a reason too.

Dean pondered this for a moment. He could stay here in the woods but he would probably only end up getting caught again. Not to mention he'd freeze to death otherwise. And as much as he hated angels, he couldn't help but feel comforted by this angel's presence. Almost.

"Alright. What's your name, feathers?"

"My name is Castiel." He answered, his voice suprisingly steady. _And I love you. And I've been searching for your ass for the last century._

Dean held out his hand and the angel shook it. "Not so nice to meet you Castiel, but I'm all out of options so I might as well just go with it. By the way, how did you know my name?"

Castiel panicked and began to formulate another lie before Dean interrupted, "Right, angelic brain snooping, got it."

Flustered, Castiel pressed two fingers to his forehead and the pair vanished from the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's spring break so i'm gonna be updating this story often :) Please, please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

**Kripke and the CW still own all characters of Supernatural. I'm still borrowing them :)**

* * *

Castiel and Dean arrived in D.C in a flurry of feathers. Dean glanced around curiously. The city, for the most part, was still the same as it was a hundred years ago. Mostly. The angels had preserved the infrastructure as a respect to it's previous inhabitants, but none of it was in use. The roads were deserted, and the shops boarded up.

"We don't normally use this part of the city, but I don't want to cause a commotion."

Dean turned to the angel. "Cause a commotion?"

"Well, you're kind of...famous around here." Castiel lied quickly.

"Really? So that's why I've been chained to a wall for the last ten years."

The angel's eyes flashed in anger. "That was not our doing, though I feel Michael could be doing more to prevent it."

"Woah, back up a minute. Michael, as in, the archangel Michael?"

"Yes. He's the head of the U.S Angelic government. He's also my brother."

Dean frowned. "You guys have a _government_? And you couldn't even come up with something a little less cliche to call it?"

"We kept the name of the previous nation that lived here, and yes, there are many other angel operated nations on Earth."

"Being chained up most of my life I guess I wasn't aware of that. I just assumed you were all barbarians." Dean mused.

Castiel instantly felt a wave of rage wash over them. _Zachariah would pay for this._ "Cover your ears Dean."

"What?" Castiel ignored him and wordlessly placed his hands over Dean's ears before calling out in his true voice. "Michael, I request your assistance."

The archangel materialized only a moment later, looking extremely irritated. "Castiel, I was in the middle of...brother what's wrong?" Michael fretted at the expression on Castiel's face.

The younger angel stepped forward and smiled. "Michael...I finally found him."

The blond angel turned to Dean. "No way, is he really…Castiel this is just marvelous! After all this time, I knew you would find him one day! Oh there are so many things to do, wait hold on, a change of setting is in order." Michael snapped his fingers and the trio reappeared in the oval office.

Dean's head swam. "You guys have got to stop doing that." He gazed around the room. "Wait is this the White House?"

"Where else? Michael smirked as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

"My brother is quite sentimental of human customs." Castiel explained, gesturing to the portraits of the previous presidents around the room. Their faces had all been replaced with the faces of the archangels, excluding Lucifer.

"I'm the President!" The archangel exclaimed haughtily.

"Yeah, mighty fine job you're doing." Dean spat.

"Give me a break, it's my first term!"

Dean was about to rattle off some smart mouth response but thought the better of it, as insulting an archangel probably wasn't the wisest thing one could do. Castiel was growing anxious and his brother noticed.

"Dean, I need to speak with my brother privately for a moment. I assume you will be staying with us, yes?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice Dean."

"Not in my experience"

Castiel whimpered and Michael frowned. "Well we're just going to have to fix that. Hey Jo! Come here a minute." The archangel called, and a young, sweet looking blond girl skipped into the room.

"Yeah?"

"Dean this is Jo. She's a human so there's no need to worry. She'll show you around." Jo grabbed Dean arm and shook it, _hard_. "Nice to meet ya, shortstack." she grinned.

"I'm not short!" Jo just laughed and dragged him from the room.

* * *

"I do not like the way she handles him brother."

Michael yawned. "Oh loosen up Castiel, he'll be fine."

"Fine? Michael, he has been chained to a cage for _God knows how long, _he lost his _brother, _and he probably been abused by his numerous owners." Castiel spat the last word venomously. "Yeah, i'm sure he'll be just FINE. If I had only found him sooner..." Castiel choked.

"What happened to him was not your fault, Castiel. We've been fighting the human slave trade for years now, it's just a fact of life. You've searched the ends of the Earth for him, Castiel! You've given me hope that I can find Gabriel, because after all these years, _you've finally found him."_

"But everything that he went through.."

"Is part of Father's plan for him. It's his life Castiel, and he has been neglected free will for his whole life and you can give it back to him! This is a good thing Castiel, because Father has given you a place in his human life! Because you've given him his life back. You saved him. You are truly meant to be part of his story." Michael insisted.

Something lifted off of Castiel's shoulders then. The weight he had carried with him for a century. The belief the he, Castiel, was not meant to meet Dean in the next life. But he had saved him. His Dean.

The angel began to cry happy tears.

"Thank you Michael." Castiel smiled.

"Your welcome brother. Now I must ask, how much does Dean know?"

Castiel faltered. "Nothing as far as I know. I have basically been lying to him." he stared down at his shoes guiltily.

"Good. He should be kept in the dark for know. We don't want to scare him away. And we have to remember Castiel that you are to guide him, protect him through his human life, not turn him into the angel you knew before."

"I know. He is not an angel anymore, he is just a man. But his _soul_ is the same. Still as beautiful and pure as it's always been, although it's been damaged." Castiel admitted.

"But he's still Dean."

"He's still Dean."

Castiel's grace rejoiced as he spoke the words. The first time in a long time he was truly happy. He wanted to laugh, and cry and scream at the same time.

Michael had read his mind. "Go brother. You know you want too." But he was talking to an empty room.

Castiel had reappeared atop the Washington Memorial, surprisingly still intact. He spread his ebony wings out to their full length and called out in his true voice, echoing the power of his grace.

"DEAN WINCHESTER IS SAVED!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Reviews are to me what pie is to Dean. :)**

**Supernatural is still Kripke's. I'm still borrowing them.**

* * *

Jo lead, or rather dragged Dean out of the office. He gave Michael a look. _She's a human so there's no need to worry. Yeah right. _Dean thought, pulling his, now sore arm out of her death grip.

"So what are you, the maid?"

"Excuse me? I ain't no maid, asshole!" Jo snapped, snapped cuffing him over the shoulder playfully.

"I work here, i'm Michael's assistant." she continued. "What's your excuse?"

"Your angel buddies crashed my party."

Jo started at him, confused.

"I was being auctioned."

Jo's head whipped around and she gave Dean a long stare. "You were a slave." It was a statement, rather than a question. Dean shrugged and Jo gave him a pat on the head.

"I'm sorry, that sounds awful. I was rescued as a baby so I don't really relate, but I hear it's terrible."

"Yeah." Dean trailed off. Jo rocked back and forth on her heels, feeling guilty for being rude earlier.

"Come on, you should see the outside." she suggested, opening the door to the balcony and stepping outside.

Dean took in the view in amazement. He had never actually seen D.C personally, but he had read books that described the city back when it was the Capitol of the United States. Large, marble structures lined the streets, the lawn was covered in a light dust, and the rooftops were dusted in snow. Everything was so _clean,_ almost as if they had bleached the entire landscape white. The only color to be seen were the wings of various angels flitting back and forth throughout the city. A few of them waved up to them, grinning.

"Damn angels everywhere."

"Dean look, is that.." Dean followed her gaze up to the tip of the Washington Monument, where an angel was perched, wings spread out beautifully.

"Castiel." he recognized his ebony wings from before. They were the last thing he had seen before he had passed out at the auction.

"Dean you should probably cover your ears." Jo insisted, before covering her own.

"What?"

Suddenly all the noise of the city was gone. The only thing Dean could hear was an incessant ringing. The sound shattered the windows, everything made of glass within the city disintegrated instantly. Dean couldn't cover his ears fast enough, and he cried out in pain. He felt like someone had melted his eardrums. The sound cut off as soon as it had began and Castiel appeared beside Dean.

"What happened, I heard Dean scream." Castiel demanded, worried.

Jo rolled her eyes stating the obvious. "Well _someone,_ needs to learn to use their inside voice."_  
_

"Oh. Sorry Dean." He looked extremely guilty. He had hurt Dean.

Castiel waved his hand and the glass he had shattered began to repair itself. The angel placed a hand on either side of the man's face and his hearing instantly restored.

"What the hell, Cas!"

Castiel's heart fluttered, recognizing Dean's old nickname for him.

* * *

_"What kind of name is Castiel?" Bartholomew taunted._

_"Yeah, what was Father thinking when he named you that? " Uriel chimed in._

_"It fits. A gay name, for a gay little angel." Gadreel smirked._

_Castiel sniffed and sank down into the collar of his trench coat, blinking away tears. He never understood why, even from the first day, every angel in his garrison liked to pick on him so much. He had never had any friends. No one wanted to be friends with a 'gay' angel. Castiel didn't even know what the word meant. It was just something the other angels had started calling him. Gay, queer, faggot..._

_"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Anna, the garrison leader called, pulling the trio's attention away from Castiel._

_"We have a new member joining us today. Say hello, Dean."_

_The angel grinned, and met Castiel's eyes confidently. "Hey." giving the group a little wave. Anna considered the class briefly, eyes resting on Castiel. _

_"Castiel will be your new partner." The young angel looked up at the sound of his name, and Anna smiled widely at him comfortingly and zapped away._

_Dean held out his hand to Castiel but was blocked by Uriel._

_"Hey new guy, word of advice: don't socialize with the nerd angels." Uriel hissed gesturing to Castiel, who looked like he was trying to disappear._

_Dean's green eyes flashed and he smirked at Uriel. __"Nah, I think I'll just avoid the guy whose name sounds like Urinal." _

_Uriel's face reddened "You'll fit right in with him then." he huffed and in a flutter of wings he vanished, his partners following soon after._

_Dean turned to Castiel, and offered his hand again. "Nice to meet you, Cas...can I call you Cas?"_

_Castiel stared and his hand and then met his eyes before he took it. "Yes, Cas is great." he replied softly._

_And Dean smiled. And it was the most beautiful thing Castiel had ever seen._

* * *

"Cas! Hey Cas!" Jo waved her hands in front of his face, pulling him out of his trance. "I gotta go finish some paperwork for Michael, you can finish showing him around right?" The angel nodded and Jo rushed off.

"Are you alright Dean?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take you to your room." Castiel decided, reaching out to Dean's forehead, but he stopped him.

"Woah, woah. None of that, we're walking this time. I'm gonna get fat if you keep zapping me around everywhere."

Castiel nodded in understanding. He remembered Dean saying the exact same thing once. It never made sense then though because angels didn't get fat. Except for maybe Metatron. He had a soft spot for an old human restaurant called 'McDonalds.'

"Alright. Your room is right next to mine, so if you ever need anything i'm right across the hall." Castiel explained when they reached Dean's room. _Not that i'm gonna let you out of my sight anyway, _Castiel added silently to himself.

Dean glanced around the room. There was a rather large four poster bed that dominated most of the room, and the only other piece of furniture in the room was an equally sizable dresser.

"I stocked the drawers with everything you'll need. I do hope it will be suitable to your liking."

Dean took a peek into the closet and riffled through the clothes. Most of them were plaid, though there were a few classic rock tees. A worn looking leather jacket stood out in the corner, and Dean pulled it out. _Yup, he was definitely brain snooping. _

"Cas, you have _got _to stop poking around in my brain."

"I only did it once Dean, I won't do it again unless you ask me too."

"Please."

Castiel sighed and sat down on the bed, watching Dean as he pulled out a pair of jeans and an AC/DC tee and began changing. Castiel's eyes raked over Dean's figure. Despite being chained up for so long, probably underfed, Dean was still relatively healthy. _He was so beautiful, _the angel thought.

"Dude, your staring. It's creepy."

Castiel mentally slapped himself and looked away, blushing. He could stare at Dean all day, to hell with personal space.

"Alright." Dean began, as he finished changing. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Anything." Castiel said a little two quickly.

Dean hesitated. "Can you take me to see my brother?"


	5. Chapter 5

**I am really enjoying writing this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you have any ideas/suggestions please review!**

**This whole crediting to Kripke is getting tiresome. All Supernatural characters belong to Kripke and the CW. Always have, always will.  
**

* * *

"Can you take me to see my brother?"

Castiel stared at Dean, worried. "Dean, your brothers...dead."

"I know that, Cas." he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I mean to his _grave_. I haven't been in...God, too long." Dean's face crumpled.

Castiel could _feel _the waves of guilt and self-loathing rolling off of Dean. His earlier upbeat mood vanished, and the angel clamped a hand down on Dean's shoulder, and forced the man to look up at him.

"Dean. It's. Not. Your. Fault. He was taken from you. I wish I would have found you earlier, then maybe I could have saved him too."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Michael has made it his mission to abolish the human slave trade for good. My mission was to save you, Dean. That makes you my charge." It was sort of the truth.

"I'm skeptical." Dean snorted. "But I'll go with it."

Castiel sighed, relieved.

"Now where is this brother of yours?"

* * *

Four states over, the Cas and Dean landed in an abandoned graveyard in the equally deserted town of Lawrence, Kansas.

"He's over here." Dean called, stopping in front of the grave marked 'Sam Winchester'.

"Hey Sammy." Dean murmured kneeling down in front of his grave.

Castiel waved his hand and a bouquet of flowers materialized. He placed them beside the gravestone and sat down in silence beside Dean, who was having a one-sided conversation with his brother. Castiel knew this because angels had the ability to sense spirits, and he could sense no other immediate presence in the area. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that. Dean told his brother everything about all the horrible 'owner's' he had been through. The angel tried not to flinch when Dean described a particularly disturbing tale of his time under the demon Alistair, or the various forms of torture Zachariah had put him through in the last few months. Dean continued his story as if Castiel wasn't there, describing his rescue by Michael's angels.

"You should have seen it Sammy. One moment i'm up on the stage waiting to be hauled off, and suddenly there's this badass angel mafia swooping down on the crowd. Zachariah's face was priceless." Castiel tried not to laugh at being called 'badass' and failed miserably.

Dean turned to face Castiel and the angel realized he was crying. "Basically i've learned that angels are total douchebags. Most of them anyway. This one isn't so bad."

"Dean." Castiel's heart warmed. It wasn't exactly a complement. But it was step away from "_All _angels are douchebags."

He cupped Dean's face with his hand wiping away the tears.

"All my instincts are telling me not to trust you, that I should put a blade through your heart run. But, I want to trust you. Really I do. I'm just so tired of hating every damn angel on this planet. I've seen what hate does to people, and I don't want to end up like that." Dean cried, his chest heaving.

"Come here." Castiel pulled Dean into his chest and held him while he cried. And the angel held him like that until the sun began to set.

"Dean."

"Yeah, Cas."

"What happened to your brother?"

Dean hesitated before answering. "See for yourself."

* * *

_They had been running for hours, after a group of renegade angels had discovered them hiding away in an old warehouse. Sam fell to his knees as they reached a crossroad, his breath coming out in rapid gasps._

_"Dean, I can't go any further."_

_His older brother knelt down beside him, catching his breath._

_"Sammy, we have to keep.." There was a sudden flash of light and Dean found himself pinned up against a tree, a blade at his throat._

_"Dean!"_

_"Sammy! Don't touch him, you bastards!" He yelled, when they slammed his nose into the dirt._

_ Dean's protective instincts went into overdrive and he lashed out, kicking his captor square in the chest, catching his blade in between his teeth. _

_"Get away from him!" Dean grabbed the collar of the angel restraining Sam and sank the blade into his side, killing him before taking down the others._

_Sam heard his brother call out in pain, when one appeared behind him and snapped his brother's neck._

_"No!" Sam cried, watching the blade fall from his hands and land in the dust at his feet. The angel kicked Dean aside, and began advancing on the younger Winchester._

_Sam ducked and reached for the blade and swung the weapon blindly, stabbing the angel through it's neck. Sam pushed the dead angel's vessel off his body and cradled his brothers head and cried._

_"Sammy..." Dean's voice died in his throat._

_"Dean. Please don't die, I can't lose you. Dean!" _

_But Dean was gone. And Sam cried and held his brother as he bled into the dirt. The wind stirred, and a chill swept across the road._

_"Don't cry child. I can bring your brother back." A seductive voice hissed. Sam looked up at the women who had materialized in the center of the crossroad._

_"I can bring him back. All I need is just one little soul."_

* * *

Castiel broke free of his daze, horrified.

"He didn't know then. He was only a kid. She gave him a year, but he never told me the deal he made. All I could do was sit there and watch when his time was up, and the hell hound mauled my brother to death and dragged him to hell." Dean explained, sadly.

The angel was shocked. He was well aware of the existence of demons but he had not heard of a deal being made in years. Most of them had simply left the Earth, as there were not enough humans left to make a profit. It was just pure chance that Dean had happened to die at a crossroads and summon one.

"I'm so sorry Dean. I wish I knew what to do."

"Just hold me, please." Dean knew he sounded like a little bitch. He hated showing the angel how weak he really was. But seeing Sam's grave after so many years broke him. He didn't care anymore.

"Okay."

Focused entirely on Dean, Castiel did not notice the new presence that lurked at the edge of the woods near the cemetery. A pair of black eyes flashed, as he observed the scene. He had been waiting for his brother to return for a while now. And Sam Winchester was not a patient man.


	6. Chapter 6

**I just want to say thank you to the people who have been keeping up with this story. I am having a blast writing it. You guys rock! :)**

* * *

Sam Winchester blinked, and his kind hazel eyes turned black. He was wary of the angel's presence. From where he stood hidden in the trees, the angel did not seem to pose much threat. He was inhumanly beautiful as all angels were, with dark hair and intense blue eyes. _A pretty boy angel, _Sam thought, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The demon watched as the angel reached down and placed a chaste kiss on Dean's hairline, who was still a sobbing wreck in front of his empty grave. Bile rose in the demons throat, as something more possessive than protective came over him. He had a sudden urge to sink his teeth into the angels throat. But Sam was not stupid. Yes, he did not seem very dangerous as he did not carry himself with the maddening supremacy that most angels did. But the demon could sense the waves of power radiating off of him in waves. _ A Seraph. Dammit. _Sam snarled. He would send someone else to deal with him. He had work to do. _  
_

"Meg. Ruby. I require assistance." Sam hissed, retreating further into the forest in a black mist.

The was a blast of cold air and the two demons appeared at Sam's side as he reverted back into solid form.

Meg flicked her dark curls and Ruby grinned. "What do you need us to do?"

* * *

Castiel rocked Dean gently while he cried, slowly gaining control of his sobs. He felt a unusually cool breeze blow across the treetops and the angel extended his hearing range, curious. The forest was completely silent. _Too quiet. _He thought. Castiel shook Dean pulling his face towards his own.

"Dean." his face was red from crying.

"I think we should go now."

Dean nodded and stood up with some effort, and stretched.

Castiel heard a twig snap across the graveyard and he whipped his head around. The glint of a silver barrel reflected back at him from the edge of the woods.

"Dean get down!"

BAM!

Dean stared at Castiel in horror and the angel realized that the bullet wasn't aimed at him. He stared down at his chest where his grace was bleeding out. _Angel bullets. _

"Cas." Dean caught the angel as he fell, Meg appearing behind them.

"Hello Dean." the demon smirked hitting him over the head with the rifle.

Castiel stared helplessly as Dean crumpled to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Dean awoke to a searing pain in the back of his skull. Looking up, he saw his hands tied above his head, nailed to a tree.

"Dean." Castiel called weakly.

Across the clearing in the forest, the angel was pinned in a similar situation. He was bleeding out massive amounts of grace.

"Cas, i'm gonna get us out of here, alright." He pulled himself up and began biting at the ropes restraining him.

"Tut, tut, tut. Dean, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Meg advised, popping into existence.

"Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt," Ruby appeared beside Castiel and drove her knife into his wound. The angel screamed in pain.

"Don't touch him, you bitch!"

Meg sauntered over to Dean, her face close enough to his so that he could feel her breath.

"Make me."

Dean lashed out, heat bashing against hers. _Mother fucker. No one wins in a headbutt. _Meg snarled and kicked Dean in the groin. _Fuck this. _Dean thought, cringing.

"Ladies, what did I tell you about _keeping your damn hands to yourself_! You are dismissed." A cold voice growled from across the clearing.

Meg and Ruby vanished at the snap of the demon's fingers.

A dark mist entered the clearing, compressing together revealing the new arrival.

"Sammy?"

Sam was only ten years old when he got dragged to hell. But Dean would recognize his face anywhere. The demon smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. He towered over his brother, having matured into an adult in his time in hell, though he had stopped aging a few years ago.

"Hello brother." his eyes flicked to black.

Castiel's head shot up at the mention of Sam's name, his face still contracted in pain.

"What happened to you?" Dean whispered.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sam began, spreading his arms out wide. "I went to _hell _Dean. I went to hell, and they put me on the rack, and they tortured me until I forgot what it means to be human. That's what happens when you make a deal with a demon." Sam shrugged as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

"Sammy, I am _so _sorry."

"I'm sorry? I'm sorry? That's all you have to say to me?" The demon threw his hands up in annoyance, and Dean flinched, waiting for the blow that didn't come.

"Well guess what Dean. I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry that I saved your ass, even if I did it unknowingly. Even if it meant you were still going to live some crappy life at the mercy of a bunch of sadistic angels." Sam spat at Castiel.

"Why bring him here then? Why kill him now?" The angel retorted.

"Kill him? I'm here to save him, from _you. _You arrogant bastard." Sam pulled his angel blade out of his coat and held it at Castiel's throat.

"No, Sam don't." Dean pleaded. "He's not like the other angels. It's not like it was before. They're not all evil." he finished, thinking of Michael and the society he had created.

"Their lying to you Dean."

"Maybe they are. But I'm choosing to trust them. I'm tired of running. It's been _years_ Sam. I'm thirty years old, and I can't run forever."

"Then let me help you Dean." Sam soothed, his voice turning soft.

"Okay." Castiel looked up to Dean, eyes fearful.

"But let him go."

Sam snarled. "No brother! Can't you see, he is deceiving you? I'm ending this now." The demon advanced on Castiel, raising his blade.

"No!"

There was a blinding flash of light and the blade stopped short of the angels face by a mere inches. The blade ripped out of the Sam's grasp and flew across the clearing, by an invisible force.

The archangel Michael stepped into view twirling the blade between his fingers.

It was in that moment that Dean was truly thankful that he had the sense not to further patronize the archangel earlier. The look Michael reserved for Sam made him fear for his brothers life.

"You have five seconds to run."


	7. Chapter 7

**If you are reading this you are awesome. That is all.**

* * *

"You have five seconds to run."

Sam stiffened, clenching his fists.

"Five."

The archangel's grace ran up the length of the blade, reorganizing the atoms until it became something entirely different. _A demon blade. _Michael's furious eyes never left Sam.

"Four.

Dean couldn't move, he couldn't speak. He radiated fear. Fear for himself, fear his brother, fear for Castiel whose grace was still rapidly bleeding out of his wound. He was paralyzed by fear.

"Three." Michael's tone grew increasingly deadly, as he neared the demon.

"Michael don't." Castiel called weakly, with all the energy he could muster.

Sam's gaze flicked to the wounded angel.

Michael didn't hesitate, continuing across the clearing.

"Two." He raised his blade. Sam didn't move.

"Michael stop." The archangel hesitated, his blade inches from Sam's face.

"He's...Dean's...brother." Castiel panted.

Michael's eyes flashed, looking between Sam and Dean. He swung his blade.

"No!" Dean finally found his voice.

But the blade had missed the demon, instead severing the ropes restraining his brother and he fell to the ground with a groan.

Michael pointed the weapon at Sam, eyes cold.

"Leave now. If I ever see you again, _I will kill you_. Do you understand?"

Sam flinched, looking to his brother and then to Castiel, and nodded. It was such a small gesture, Dean had almost missed it, but the message was clear. _Thank you._ The demon snapped his fingers and he vanished from the forest.

Michael pocketed the blade and ran over to his brother, pressing his hand to the wound. Brilliant light began to flow from his hand into his chest and the wound closed. Castiel sat up quickly, screaming, "Dean!"

"I'm okay, Cas." he assured him, detangling himself from the ropes.

Castiel leaned back, head resting on the forest floor in relief.

Michael snapped his fingers and the group disappeared from the forest, reappearing a moment later back at the White House.

"Castiel. Take Dean to his room and make sure he is alright. Come see me when you're done." Michael ordered, dropping into his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Dean pulled Castiel to his feet and the angel pressed two fingers to his forehead, teleporting them to his room.

"Are you alright?"

"You're one to ask. You just got shot." Dean threw his hands up in exclaimation.

Castiel continued as if he hadn't heard him. "You got hit pretty hard."

It was then that Dean was reminded of the throbbing ache in the back of his skull. He plopped down on the bed and rubbed his temple.

"I'm fine."

Castiel looked skeptical but didn't press him.

"Will you be alright if I leave you here for a bit? I must sort some things out with Michael. Knowing him, he is debating whether or not to hunt down Sam and finish what he started."

Dean flinched.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." The angel stood and left the room, stopping at the threshold when Dean said his name.

"Cas."

"Yes, Dean."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving my brother. I wanted to say something, stop Michael from killing him, stop Sam from killing _you._ But I just couldn't. I just..."

"I understand Dean." Castiel smiled, vanishing from the room.

Dean started at the empty space, where the angel had been just a minute ago. He stared at the wall, observing every detail. Anything to keep him from reliving the last hour in his head. But like everything else in the city, the wall was flawless, clean, plain and boring. His mind began to fill with images of pairs of black eyes, peering at him from the forest. The memories eventually blended over into reality and after a while Dean began to believe the wall was staring back at him.

* * *

Castiel popped into the oval office beside a window overlooking a massive lawn.

"It's interesting isn't it?" Michael began softly, swirling around in his office chair. "That your soul mate, happens to have a demon brother, who somehow ended up with this." The archangel picked up the blade he had taken from Sam, and twirled it between his fingers.

"A lot of demons possess stolen angel blades. It kind of goes with the job description. They steal for a living." Castiel rolled his eyes.

"Ah! But this isn't just any blade, brother." Micheal's grace wrapped around the blade, enveloping it in a white light as it transformed back into it's previous state. The archangel held it out to Castiel, who looking at it more closely, realized what his brother was showing him.

"It is an archangel's sword."

"Michael, how is that even possible. There are only four in existence, and you already hold your own and Lucifer's." Castiel reached out and ran his hand over the blade.

"We know Raphael still has his." Castiel continued, thinking of his other brother. Michael ruled the Western world, while Raphael ruled the East. They had their differences but he still checked in often enough for them to know that he was alive and well.

"But that only leaves..."

Michael finished the sentence for him.

"Gabriel."

* * *

To say Sam Winchester was pissed, would be an understatement. He was furious. Of all the damn angels on the planet to rescue his brother, a Seraph no less, who had an archangel brother who owned_ half the damn planet_. Fuck my life, Sam thought venomously. Fuck it. He had only wanted to reach out to his brother, after so many years of separation, just to see that he was okay. To Dean, he had only been in hell for twenty years. For Sam it had been two hundred and forty.

Two hundred and forty years of kissing Crowley's ass, torturing doomed souls on the rack, all so that he could to return to Earth to see Dean. He had lasted about forty years on the rack before he learned how things worked in hell. Torturing souls was only one step in the process of becoming a well respected demon. You had to be merciless to your enemies, obedient to your superiors, and above all, show no signs of humanity. Sam had locked away his human memories willingly, most of them weren't pleasant anyway. Except for the one's with Dean. He kept them close to his dried up, dark heart always. He made it his goal to work his way up to becoming a high class demon, the kind that were allowed to pass freely between hell and Earth. And he succeeded. After two hundred and forty years he had finally done it. He had surpassed Azazel in combat, becoming Crowley's right hand man. As a reward, he was given Ruby and Meg as henchmen and access to a devil's gate.

He did all of that, just to be sent running for the hills, tail between his legs. He wanted to see his brother again, but it was going to be near impossible with him so heavily guarded. Sam had no doubt they had taken him to D.C, literally the most protected city in the universe. In a way he was glad, because he knew that Dean would be safe there from the renegade angel's who claimed his life the first time around. But he was not entirely comfortable with him in the hands of Castiel either. He was conflicted. The angel _had_ stopped Michael from killing him but he was obviously part of his inner crowd. Then there was the way he treated Dean, as if he was the most precious thing in the world. It didn't make sense.

Sam snarled frustrated, driving his fist into the ground. A shock wave sent across the land, upturning trees and sending dust into the air.

He needed advice. The demon reached for his blade, before remembering that Michael had taken it. _Dammit. Guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way. _Sam grabbed a stick and began drawing symbols into the dirt, before biting his hand and letting it bleed into the soil. Snapping his fingers, the blood erupted into flames, and he began to chant.

"Archangel Gabriel, holy messenger of God. I summon you."

The wind picked up and the sky darkened. The sky lit up with electricity, and lightning struck at the center of the circle, the flames extinguished.

A rather short man appeared as the smoke cleared, sucking a lollipop nonchalantly.

"What's up, Sammy boy?"


	8. Chapter 8

**The next few chapters will give a lot of insight to the story. **

* * *

"What's up, Sammy boy?"

"Good to see you too Gabriel." Sam greeted the archangel, stepping inside the circle and accepting his bone crushing hug.

Relationships between demons and angels were highly unusual. Friendships were almost unheard of. But the relationship between Gabriel and Sam Winchester was anything but ordinary. A few hundred years ago, Sam had been sent on a mission to Earth by Crowley to investigate the possible discovery of an archangels sword, one of the most powerful weapons ever made. It was a peculiar task as it was well known that Raphael and Michael each held their own sword in addition to Lucifer's, which had been obtained after his demise. The only other archangel blade known in existence was Gabriel's, which after his apparent death at the hands of Lucifer during the apocalypse, had been lost. Crowley had managed to pick up a signal from the missing blade, and sending Sam on a mission to investigate. It was then that he had discovered not only was the archangel not dead, but he still had his sword as well.

Gabriel had apparently sent out an accidental distress signal using his sword, after he dropped his lollipop in a fit of rage. Sam had no doubt that Castiel had done something similar, which had led him to calling Michael while he was distracted. The demon was taught to be wary of all archangels, that they were to be feared and avoided at all costs. But meeting Gabriel had put a dent in that belief. The guy was a jocular sociopath. Sam had been tracking him for weeks before Gabriel figured out that someone was following him. The mischievous self proclaimed 'Trickster' had trapped Sam in a time loop for days, until he got bored and freed him, much to the demon's surprise. Once Gabriel had understood what the demon was after and realizing that his sword had given away his location, he struck up a bargain with Sam. He gave him his blade willingly as long as the demon kept demon kept his continued existence a secret. Sam had agreed and pocketed the sword, telling Crowley the signal was a dead end. The two crossed path's a few times afterwards as Gabriel claimed to be lonely in his 'witness protection', often helping Sam in his crusade to find Dean. Sam never questioned the archangels reason's for remaining in hiding, as the one time he had asked Gabriel had almost ripped his head off just for asking. Regardless, the two quickly became partners in crime, a major reason for Sam's success.

"Haven't seen you since your big promotion! How's life as a free man?" Gabriel nudged his shoulder playfully.

"Great, I even found Dean. That's sort of why I called you here."

The archangel pouted. "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy, you only ever call me when you need something. We never get to hang out anymore."

"I know Gabriel, but this is important. It sort of involves...your brother."

Gabriel's carefree demeanor disappeared, and his eyes turned sad. "Which one?"

"Michael."

Gabriel flinched.

"I'm kind of in hot water with him right now."

"Good job, Sammy. Fifteen minutes on Earth and you've already managed to piss off the most powerful angel on the planet." He rolled his eyes.

"You don't understand. His little brother, Castiel or whatever his name is.."

"Did you say _Castiel._"

"Yes, the Seraph. He's the one rescued Dean, but the way he treat's him Gabriel I swear, it's like he's..."

"Like he's in love with him." Gabriel interrupted.

Sam nodded, eyes wide. "Yes exactly, it's like he's infatuated or something. How did you know that?"

Gabriel sighed, suddenly looking very old. "I can't believe I didn't think of it earlier. Your brother...his name is Dean correct?"

Sam looked confused. "Yes. Why are you asking?"

Reaching out with two fingers and placing them against Sam's temple, he closed his eyes. "Let me show you."

* * *

"Let me give you a lesson in angel history." Gabriel's voice buzzed in the demon's brain, creating a scene in his mind.

_About 15 billion years ago, in the kingdom of heaven..._

_"You're it!" Gabriel's child like voice giggled, tagging Lucifer, who was napping quietly on a cloud in Heaven's Garden._

_"Buzz off Gabriel, I'm trying to sleep." The older angel groaned, rolling over on his belly and covering himself with his massive golden wings._

_"Your boring." he pouted._

_"Hey Gabriel! I'll play with you, but let's leave Lucy alone. You know how he get's when he's grumpy." Michael teased._

_As if on cue, Lucifer poked his head out from under his wing, and flipped his brother the bird._

_Gabriel instantly brightened. "Okay." He ran up and tackled Michael. "Now you're it!" The younger angel squealed, hugging him._

_Michael laughed, and his whole body shook. His grace began to do radiate off of his skin in waves, intertwining with Gabriel's. _

_Gabriel stared up at his brother's eyes. "We're best friends, right?"_

_"Soul mates." Michael smiled, "Forever and always."_

* * *

Sam recoiled in shock. There was no way. "You and Michael were _together_? Dude, that is so gross." _  
_

Gabriel sighed, and rolled his eyes. "No Sam, the angel definition of soul mate is different from your sterotypical human beliefs. Every angel has a soul mate, but the relationship is usually platonic. Michael was my brother and my best friend, but our relationship was never romantic. We went everywhere together, and that is what made him so powerful."

The demon frowned, confused.

Gabriel continued, shaking his head, frustrated. "You see Sam, the reason angels have soul mates are to make each other more powerful. Like a magnet, there is always a force pulling us together. And when an angel's grace is melded with it's soul mate's, their energy is strengthened ten fold. This is part of what makes heaven so powerful."

The archangel grimaced. "That is why I left Michael. When Lucifer started the apocalypse, Michael began using me to gain power to defeat him. But a pair of archangel soul mates are extremely rare, and the amount of power he would have held had our grace been merged, would have been catastrophic. Michael has always been ambitious, he wanted the world at his fingertips, and I believe he planned to use the apocalypse as a way of obtaining it. So I struck a deal with Lucifer, yes I know he was evil," Gabriel added at the look of suprise on Sam's face, "But they both wanted power, and I wasn't going to put all my chips in one place. So with Lucifer's help, I staged my death and have been in hiding ever since." The archangel paused, his eyes filling with tears. "Michael was devestated, and he gave up his lust for power, instead creating a society on Earth based on democracy...something he picked up from the humans."

"Why didn't you return to him then?"

Gabriel's face crumpled. "I fear my presence will only re-ignite ambitions that would best be left alone. Grace bonds tend to do that"

Something in Sam's dried up heart broke for him then. Something so very human.

"But what does this have to do with Dean?" Sam asked, trying to steer the conversation away from Michael.

"Castiel was the youngest of all of us, and he has always been the odd one of the bunch."

"Weirder than you?"

Gabriel snickered. "No, he was just...different. Calm, reserved and a little ornery." The archangel grimaced. "He was constantly picked on for it and he never had any friends in his garrison. Well, until Dean arrived."

Sam's eyes widened. "No way. Dean's a human."

"You seriously need a lesson in parapsychology, Sam." Gabriel snorted. "When angel's die, they are reborn as humans. When humans die, they either go to heaven and have eternal life or, like you, they go to hell. Don't worry about it though, you get a second chance too. When you die, you'll be reborn as a human again." Gabriel winked. "Ever wondered why some people just seemed to be born evil?"

Sam was in shock. "So Dean was an angel...and he died. Where does Castiel come into...oh my god."

"Your not serious..."

"Sam." Gabriel's golden eyes shone. "Dean was Castiel's soul mate."

The demon felt a million feelings at once. Shock, confusion, anger and something else he didn't quite have a name for that felt a lot like relief.

He narrowed his eyes. "Tell me everything you know."


	9. Chapter 9

**It's a dull rainy day so I'm gonna sit in bed and write all day. Yes I am aware I have no life :) Carry on.**

* * *

Michael was having a very bad day. His little brother had almost gotten himself killed by his soul mate's demon brother. Thank God he had the sense to send a distress signal while the demon's back was turned. The archangel thought, downing another bottle of beer before tossing the empty bottle across the room, hitting the wall and shattering into a million pieces. Michael held his head in his hands and sighed. He still wasn't feeling anything, due to his holy alcohol tolerance. _  
_

Gabriel's sword rested on his desk, his name carved into it in enochian like a beacon.

Michael found himself thinking back to the day Gabriel had supposedly died.

* * *

_Michael was in the middle of smiting a couple of demons when Balthazar popped into existence, finishing off a runner with his sword._

_"Michael!" He gasped. "Lucifer, Raphael and Gabriel are in New York, we must hurry."_

_Michael felt his throat close up, fear washing over him in waves. Two warring archangel's within a mile radius was a recipe for disaster. Three almost guaranteed obliteration, and now he was joining the fight, Michael realized, anxiously. Cutting a rift in the fabric of space, the archangel tore through the void, breaking out a few moments later above Manhattan. The city was in chaos. Hell hounds raged through the streets, ripping apart automobiles and mauling the fleeing citizens. Demon's leaped from building to building, which exploded or collapsed a moment later. The armies of Heaven dive bombed from the skies, smiting every demon within reach. The U.S military had sent in fighter jet's, firing at both demon and angel, before being taken down in the crossfire. _

_This was the hour of the Judeo Christian Apocalypse._

_As if on cue, Raphael was sent flying across the city, crashing it a massive skyscraper, cutting it clean in half. The top piece swayed and collapsed, taking a good portion of the city with it._

_"Raphael!" Michael called, waving away the debris and pulling his brother out of the rubble. _

_"Where is he." The older angel breathed, his eyes dark._

_"Over here little brother." Lucifer whispered, suddenly appearing behind him, his breath hot in Michael's ear. _

_Rounding on him at the same moment, Michael and Raphael drew their blades and advanced on Lucifer. _

_"Ah, ah, ah." The oldest archangel mocked, blocking Michael's blade with a single finger and side stepping Raphael. Lucifer snapped his finger's and opened a hole in space, Raphael falling through it after missing his brother. _

_"Can't have you all gaining up on me now, can we?" He smirked before driving his fist into Michael's chest, sending him flying across the city. Michael hit an overturned bus, which exploded on contact. Pulling himself from the rubble, he extended his massive ivory wings, and launched off the ground, shooting across the city like a bullet._

_"Lucifer!" He screamed, with his true voice, shattering all the glass in the city that wasn't already destroyed._

_"Michael!" The light bringer responded just as ferociously, raising his sword and tearing across the city towards his brother._

_Michael swung his sword but the image of Lucifer disappeared, instead hitting him on his blind side._

_He hit the pavement hard, creating a sizable crater in the ground. Lucifer landed at the edge, raising his blade above Michael's face._

_"We end this now."_

_"No!" Gabriel came out of nowhere, tackling the dominate archangel around the waist._

_Lucifer kicked the younger angel off of him, brushing the dirt off his face. _

_"Really Gabriel? Really? Aren't we a little too old for these games?"_

_Gabriel stared his oldest brother down, with all the contempt he could manage._

_"I won't let you kill him." He declared, grasping Michael's hand. Their grace immediately began to merge, giving Michael his strength back._

_"Then you will die with him!" Lucifer snarled, and attacked Gabriel who, in his weakened state from the transfer his grace, had no time to react and Lucifer impaled him in his chest. Gabriel screamed, and light burst out from his body in a brilliant display. _

_Michael felt as though someone had cut off one of his limbs, when he could no longer feel Gabriel's grace. _

_"No!" His fist connected with Lucifer's jaw knocking him off of his little brother. He cradled his lifeless head in his arms and cried. _

_"No, Gabriel, no! Don't leave me..." There was no visible imprint of his wings as the ground was already charred to dust._

_Lucifer picked himself up, his face turned down in a frown and a single tear slipped from his eye._

_"I have already been forced to kill one of my brother's today and I don't have the strength to do it again. We we settle this another day." The archangel growled clutching the wound Gabriel had made. He opened a rift, dragging Michael away from Gabriel before throwing him in._

_"Lucifer, you bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill-" The last thing he saw was Lucifer bending down and placing a hand over Gabriel's face before his voice cut off and the portal closed._

_Awaking a few hours later in a desert where his brother had dumped him, Michael raced back to the city, before seeing that it had been completely burned to ashes. There wasn't even anything left to recover. _

_The archangel fell to his knees and sobbed._

* * *

Michael ran his his hand over the length of the blade. He had begun to doubt that Gabriel was really dead after the apocalypse ended, when he realized that Lucifer did not have his sword. Even more was the business of the signal he had picked up a few years ago, further proof that both the blade and it's owner still existed. The one thing he couldn't figure out was how. How could he have survived being stabbed by Lucifer's sword? It didn't occur to him until later that there had been no imprint of wings. And if he really was alive, then why? Why live in secret? He knew he and Gabriel had their difference's but for the love of God, they were _soul mates._ They were supposed to be together, weren't they? He had spent endless years searching for his reincarnation before he began to suspect he had never died in the first place. Angel's weren't reincarnated right away, part of the reason it had taken so long for Castiel to find Dean. It could take years.

Michael thought back to when he had tracked down the origin of the signal. The only thing peculiar he had found was traces of sulfur, which he hadn't thought much of at the time as many demon's were hunting for Gabriel's sword as well. The archangel frowned, thinking of Sam. Now he knew better.

As much as he would like to rip the arrogant demon's head off for even laying a finger on Castiel, he was a lead on finding Gabriel. Not to mention the fact that Dean probably wouldn't approve of the beheading of his brother, demon or not.

The phone on his desk began to ring incessantly. It was the same red phone the President of the U.S had supposedly used for launching nukes. It still worked, but Michael really only kept it as a sentimental possession.

He picked it up on the third ring, annoyed. "Hello."

"Michael." A deep voice answered.

_Speak of the devil. _"One how did you get this number. Two, last time I saw you I made it quite clear that I would end you if I ever saw you again, so please tell me Sam, do you have a death wish?" Michael drawled, testing him.

"Listen here you insufferable git..."

"What did you just call me?" The archangel snarled.

"I SAID LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE FUCKER! I know about Dean's past life, and I know that he is Castiel's supposed soul mate." Sam started. "I also know about you and Gabriel,"

"You what!" Michael interrupted.

Sam continued ignoring him, "And I'll bet you probably are wondering how I ended up with his sword."

The archangel was speechless.

"So if you have any desire to find out, meet me in Atlanta in an hour. Come alone." The line went dead.

* * *

Michael slammed the phone down, flinging it across the room narrowly missing Castiel who had just popped in to check on him._  
_

"Michael, I do not believe throwing things is a good way to solve your problems." The seraph advised, waving away the mess.

The archangel sighed, rubbing his temple. "How's Dean?"

"Sleeping. He's still recovering from meeting Sam." Castiel's blue eyes were anxious. "I'm worried about him."

"He'll be fine. It's his demon brother I'm worried about."

The younger angel shifted, nervous. "Yes, that's what I came to talk to you about. I am well aware of Sam's action's towards me and I believe his actions were justified." Castiel held a hand up when Michael looked like he wanted to interrupt. "He only wishes to reach out to his brother and I think that it would be good for Dean to see his brother after so many years apart, despite him being a demon. As much as I want to be there for him, there are some things I cannot do, that Sam can." The angel looked pained. "I only wish I could talk to him without him trying to kill me."

Something in Michael's mind clicked then, and he pulled out a pad of paper and began to write.

"Actually Castiel, I think I have a lead on Sam. A demon was spotted outside Atlanta a few hours ago."

The younger angel's gaze brightened. "Really! I'll go get Dean, he'll want to go too."

"No Castiel. I think it would be better if I went instead, as he can't kill me." Michael proposed, gesturing the collection of archangel blades in the room.

The seraph looked skeptical.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna kill him, I'm just going to talk and see if we can get this whole mess sorted out." He lied smoothly. "You can stay here and take care of Dean, I'll be back in a few hours tops."

Castiel considered this and then nodded shortly. "Alright. But come to me first if you find anything. I don't want Dean to go running off looking for him."

"Will do." The archangel replied without looking up, dismissing him from the room.

Michael opened the drawer and pulled out another beer, downing it in one go before tossing it across the room, this time destroying the wall.


	10. Chapter 10

**Enjoy the next chapter :) Will update again soon.**

* * *

Michael landed in Atlanta, deciding to fly rather than use the void as he needed to clear his head before he did something he was going to regret. Atlanta was a radioactive ghost town. It had been nuked to dust in the early days of the apocalypse, when the demon hordes first emerged. That had been the human military's last resort after they quickly learned that the demons were bulletproof. Not that nuking them did much good either.

Michael cast his senses out, searching for any sign of the demon.

About a mile away, a dark cloud of matter was materializing, quickly making it's way towards the archangel before condensing into human form.

"Hello Sam."

The demon blinked, his kind eyes flicking to a sinister black and grinned. "Michael. I see you came alone, smart move."

"I am not here for idle chit chat demon, I want to know where you got this sword." Michael snapped, drawing Gabriel's blade.

"What's in it for me?" Sam reasoned, spreading his arms wide.

"I let you leave with your life." He raised his sword, inches from the demon's face. Sam didn't even flinch.

"I don't think that would go over well with Castiel, him being Dean's epic love and all." The demon smirked.

Michael faltered, his cheeks heating up. "Do not presume to understand my family, Sam. I don't know how you found out about Dean's past life, as it is not common knowledge." He paused. "I have a brother so I know what it means to be protective of them. So know that if you ever hurt Castiel again, I will wipe you from existence. Do we understand each other Sam?"

The demon scowled, but nodded briefly.

"Now about this sword." Michael prodded, twirling it between his fingers.

"If I tell you, will you promise to let me see Dean?"

"Fine. But Castiel will be with him, so you better have thought up a pretty good apology."

Sam smiled, an actual genuine smile. "Will do." The demon snapped his fingers and a ring of fire erupting around them. He began to chant:

"Gabriel, holy messenger of God. I summon you."

The sky immediately darkened, forming a swirling mass of clouds above them. Lightning struck the center of the circle, revealing the new arrival.

Michael's grace ignited when he recognized the familiar angel.

"Gabriel."

The short man, whirled around striking a pose and winking flirtatiously. "Michael."

* * *

"You bastard." Michael cried, giving his brother a bone crushing hug.

Gabriel returned the hug gratefully. "I missed you too big brother."

"How are you alive? I saw Lucifer kill you, I thought you were dead." Michael asked, pulling away.

"Yeah about that." Gabriel mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "I kind of uh...faked my death."

"With _Lucifer_? And then what, lived in secret for a hundred years? How could you do that to me?"

"You were too ambitious, and you only used our bond to gain power." Gabriel accused, jabbing his finger at Michael's chest.

"But Lucifer-"

"Two hot-headed archangel's using the Earth as a boxing ring is not what I signed up for, brother."

Michael looked on the verge of tears. "But he's gone now Gabriel, I defeated him! I gave up my power, and creating a new society where we could live without fear of oppression. Why didn't you come back to me then?"

Gabriel's frowned. "Because I knew that our bond would only bring back ambitions that best stay buried. I only came back now because Sam talked me into it." The archangel rolled his eyes, and the demon smirked.

"_Sam_? Seriously Gabriel, you're friends with a demon?"

"That's a story for another day big bro. But right now, I think you owe Sam his end of the bargain."

Michael frowned. "Fine. But _stay here._" He jabbed a finger at Gabriel and the younger archangel held his hands up in surrender. Grabbing Sam's arm, Michael teleported them to the oval office, thankfully empty.

"I'll be back with Dean. Don't break anything." Sam grinned and belly flopped on the couch, tossing a pillow at the back of Michael's head. The archangel caught it without looking and threw it back with enough force that it disintegrated in mid air, and left the room.

"Castiel." He knocked on his brother's door.

"I'm in here." The angel responded from Dean's room. The two were engaged in a game of monopoly on his bed. Dean frowned in concentration, trying to figure out his next move, before looking up and greeting the archangel.

"Hey Michael."

"Dean." He nodded at him before turning to Castiel. "I need to speak with you."

* * *

Castiel stood stock still in the next room over as Michael finished telling the story.

"Gabriel's alive, that's amazing Michael." He smiled, tears running down his face.

"Yes it is, and I would like to get back to him before he disappears on me again, so will you be fine babysitting Sam and Dean while i'm gone?"

Castiel nodded and Michael opened a hole in the void and left.

The seraph knocked on Dean's door and poked his head in. "Dean, your brother is here to see you."

Dean's mind broke away from the game and he stared at Castiel, shocked. "Sam? Is he okay-"

"Yes he's fine. Michael tracked him down and agreed to let him see you as long as no one tries to kill each other."

Dean leaped up from the bed and bounded over to Castiel, anxious. "Where is he, can you take me to him?" The angel placed a hand on Dean's shoulder and whisked him up to the office.

"Sammy?" He called softly.

The demon was dosing on the couch peacefully. His eyes shot open at the sound of his name. He jumped off the couch and started towards his brother, arms wide open, but was blocked by Castiel.

"I would never in a million years harm Dean's family, but if you ever try and kill me again, I swear in the name of my heavenly Father, I will hang you from the Washington Monument by your underwear. We clear?" The seraph growled, with no real menace in his tone.

Sam smiled and shook his hand, patching the rift between them. "Yeah. Loud and clear."

Castiel returned the smile widely and sat down on the couch, pulling out a book.

Dean pulled his brother into a hug, and launched into discussion about the last twenty years (or in Sam's case two hundred and forty) and all the the things they had missed. They talked for a few hours while Castiel pretended to read his book, until Michael showed up with Gabriel looking exhausted. Castiel and Gabriel cried when they saw each other, and ended up having a brief, unintelligible conversation talking about how much they had missed each other. It was a night of reunions which ended in Dean getting drunk, Michael attempting too, Gabriel getting hyped up on candy and Castiel strapping Sam to the Washington Monument by his underwear.


	11. Chapter 11

**It's raining, it's pouring, there's-nothing-to-do-today-so-i'm-going-to-update-this-story :) That totally did not rhyme. Whatever, carry on.**

* * *

Dean woke up the next morning with a wicked hangover. He had fallen asleep on the couch beside Michael, who was in a very bad mood from his encounter with Gabriel. Dean didn't blame him. The youngest archangel was practically bouncing off the walls, on a sugar high from raiding the "candy vault" in Michael's desk. Sam, like Dean, had also gotten very drunk and had starting yelling obscenities, mostly variations of "Dean is gay with Cas!" Dean thought it was hilarious, but Castiel had seemed rather offended, dragging Sam up to the Washington Monument and strapping him to the top by his underwear. In his drunken state, it had taken him the whole night to climb down, find his pants and pass out on the couch on top of Dean, all the while avoiding an equally grumpy Castiel.

The telephone on Michael's desk began ringing incessantly, and Sam fell of the couch startled, his eyes flicking to black.

"Chill out man, it's just the phone."

He blinked, his eyes turning back to their normal color, and relaxed. "Oh."

Michael pulled himself off the couch groaning, stepping over a drooling Gabriel and answered the phone.

"Hello."

"Michael, it has come to my attention that our brother is alive." Raphael's husky voice answered.

"Yes, he's here now. It's a long story." Michael sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"I assumed so. Whatever the case, there is another reason for me calling you."

He paused.

"There was a series of attacks across Europe this morning."

Michael stiffened. "Who? Renegades? Forerunners?"

"Loyalists."

"Shit. I didn't even know they were still around. I thought they had all disbanded when Lucifer died."

Raphael hesitated. "Most of them did. But a few of them possessed a certain knowledge that has kept them around."

"And what would that be?" Michael's jaw clenched. He already knew the answer.

"They found the reincarnation of Lucifer."

* * *

Jo had spent three long hours gluing the president's telephone back together, after he had smashed it against the wall only the day before. Imagine her reaction at nearly having her head taken off when she poked her head in to check on the group the next morning. She was infuriated, wanting nothing more than to go sock him in the nose. But Jo was a sensible girl and she knew it would not end well for her to bother a pissed of archangel this early in the morning, so she quickly closed the door and ran down the hallway, almost bumping into Castiel who had returned with breakfast.

"I brought doughnuts!" He announced popping into the room.

Sam, Dean and Gabriel were still staring at Michael in shock, after he had flung the phone across the room when he finished the call.

"What's wrong, Michael? Did something happen?" Castiel was the first to speak, tossing the doughnuts to Sam who caught it between his teeth.

Michael's hands were shaking. "I need to speak to you and Gabriel alone." He snapped his fingers and the three angels disappeared from the office, reappearing in a park nearby.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked, noticing his brother's anxious state.

"The loyalists. They've found Lucifer. After all this time, he's finally been reborn."

Castiel frowned, folding his arms. "We knew it was going to happen eventually."

Gabriel snorted, rubbing his chin. "How do you know this?"

"Raphael called me. There's already been three attacks across Europe this morning."

"Well, what are we going to do about it?" Gabriel demanded.

"We should investigate the attacks, track down the people responsible. After all, Lucifer is reborn. He won't have remembered anything about his past life. It's probably just the loyalists stirring up trouble." Castiel surmised.

"What I want to know is how they found him." Gabriel snorted. "Reborn angels aren't that easy to recognize."

"The same way I found Dean. His soul mate recognized him."

"Who was his soul mate?" Gabriel asked. "I don't recall Lucy being the romantic type."

"He wasn't. He never had any friends either." Michael remembered. "Well except for one."

"Elijah."

* * *

_Lucifer was the most beautiful of all God's angels. Because of that, he was often seen as untouchable, too perfect to be tainted with his Father's other flawed creations, so he was often lonely. His loneliness evolved into bitterness, and he became rather aloof towards his brothers. Most angels in the host of heaven were either too scared or too envious to approach him. All except for young Elijah._

_Elijah was the very last angel anyone would have expected to become friends with Lucifer. He was a low class angel, the kind that hardly ever came into contact with the archangels. But Elijah was persistent, visiting Lucifer everyday, no matter how many times the latter had either ignored him or banished him away._

_Lucifer was napping on his favorite cloud, high up above the Garden that was Joshua tending to. He rolled over on his belly, looking down at the young angels racing across the void. He had stopped feeling lonely a long time ago. The loneliness was still there, he simply chose to believe it was resentment he was feeling._

_"Hey Lucifer!" A young, dark haired angel landed on his cloud, panting heavily from his climb. "What's up?"_

_Lucifer sighed, closing his eyes. No matter how badly he treated the young angel, he always seemed to keep coming back. Truthfully he was glad for his company, he just had this urge to test his limits, to see if he was just playing a joke on him and go back to gawking at him from afar like everyone else._

_"Hello Elijah."_

_The younger angel visibly brightened, seeing as this was a better reaction than he usually got. "Do you want to go down to the Garden with me? Michael is teaching us how to duel! Doesn't that sound like fun?"_

_"I don't think my presence is welcome. No one down there is particularly fond of me" It wasn't like he hadn't tried. Every time he went down to mingle, the angels either gawked at him or avoided him like the plague._

_Elijah held out his hand. "I'm fond of you, Lucifer. Your always welcome around me!" He grinned widely._

_Lucifer finally gave up. He took the younger angels hand and left his cloud, feeling some of his bitterness ebb away._

_Michael observed the encounter from a distance. Unbeknownst to his brother, Michael had witnessed many of Elijah's attempts to extend a hand in friendship, even the time Lucifer had literally booted him out of his cloud. This time was different though, he noticed, seeing his brother smile for the first time in a while. How very unlike him._

_A few billion years later..._

_Lucifer dodged the massive fireball aimed at his head, flying through the void of heaven at the speed of light. The archangel extended his palms out towards Michael, hot on his tail and fired a blast of energy at him. _

_Michael deflected it with his blade, using his free arm send his brother flying across the void. The host of heaven watched the battle solemnly from the sidelines. Elijah pushed passed Dean and Castiel, screaming. _

_"Lucifer why? How could you rebel? How could you!" He fell to the ground crying, Castiel reaching down and wiping away his tears while Dean held him._

_The sight made Lucifer's heart break in two, so he didn't see Michael open a hole in the void behind him. His brother grasped his cloak, pulling his face towards his own. _

_"I'm sorry brother." A single tear fell from his eye and ran down his cheek._

_Michael slammed the brunt of his sword down on Lucifer's side, sending him plummeting down to Earth. The ground opened up and swallowed him whole, and he fell. Fell from the light of heaven and the life of Earth. Fell from the grace bestowed upon him by his heavenly Father. Fell from Michael and Gabriel and Raphael and Castiel and Dean and Elijah...his family. He plummeted all the way down, until he hit the cold hard floor of his cage, deep within hell._

* * *

"Of course." Gabriel remembered. "Elijah _is_ still alive, right?"

"Yes. My sources tell me he resides in London, the location of the first attack." Michael informed.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Castiel shifted, his blue eyes dark.

"Are you comfortable bringing Dean? He's no angel, but he's a good shot, and you probably won't be up for leaving him behind anyway." Michael predicted.

"Fine. But what about you."

"I say we split up, we'll each cover a different location. Castiel will take Dean, Gabriel can go with Sam because they already have experience working together, no doubt. I will meet Raphael in London."

Gabriel nodded in agreement. "Alright, where are we headed."

"The second attack was in Moscow, the third in Beijing."

"Okie dokie." Gabriel clapped his hands in excitement. "Castiel can take Moscow. I have a date with Sammy in China, baby!."

Castiel gave his brother a look and the archangel grinned, zapping away.

The seraph sighed, preparing to leave and go debrief Dean.

"Castiel wait." Michael called.

"I know this is Lucifer we're talking about. But trust me when I say he won't remember anything, and that includes being an evil bastard. I want to give him a chance at life. Destroying him is a last resort, and it's not like he can kill me anyway." Michael lifted his coat, revealing three of the four archangel blades.

"Wait why do you still have Gabriel's sword." Castiel asked, curiously.

Michael rolled his eyes. "The only thing he uses it for it to-"

"Wait." Castiel held up his hands, squinting. "On second thought, I don't want to know."


	12. Chapter 12

Dean and Castiel landed in Moscow in a flurry of feathers. Or what was left of it anyway. Saint Basil's Cathedral had been completely destroyed during the apocalypse, in addition to a good portion of the city. What was left had been preserved and used as a human shelter city.

Castiel had picked a good spot to land, on top of the Kremlin, because the rest of the city was literally engulfed in flames. Other than the occasional crackling of flames and creak of burning building, it was quiet. Unusually quiet.

"Where is everyone?" Dean wondered aloud, slinging a rifle over his shoulder.

There were no distraught women running through the streets screaming bloody murder. There were no men pulling children from windows. There weren't even any dead people laying around. There was just fire, razing an empty city.

Castiel cast his senses out, the pupils of his eyes separating into three spinning pools of black. Although he could see no one for miles around, he sensed a dark presence nearby. Listening closely, he heard the soft but distinct sound of paw prints racing towards them.

"Dean, run."

At that moment an invisible force slammed into the angel, and he felt the sudden sharp teeth of an invisible beast rip into his flesh. He screamed, striking out with his sword, striking his attacker. Blood spilled from the mark, covering the previously invisible beast in it's own blood, revealing it's form. _A hell hound._

"Over here, you little bitch!" Dean shouted. The hell hound reared it's massive head around, leaping off of a wounded Castiel.

BAM!

Dean's shot hit its mark, straight through the beasts skull. The beast howled, and a series of answering howls were heard throughout the city. Dean shot the hound repeatedly, cutting off the howl in its throat, before running to Castiel.

"Cas, come on buddy, we gotta run there's more coming." Even his mundane human senses could hear the unmistakable sound of a pack of hell hounds approaching.

Castiel winced, light traveling from his hand to his wound healing it. "I don't have enough grace to pop us out of here, Dean. Run while you still can, I'll catch up." He looked tortured, more in pain from not being able to protect Dean than anything else.

Dean's face quickly translated. _That's a crap load of BS. _

"Screw that." Dean snapped, pulling out the Colt and a demon knife.

"Where did you get that?" Castiel was shocked. He had heard stories of the colt before it had disappeared during the apocalypse.

"I inherited it." Dean grinned. The sound of heavy panting and paws racing across the concrete grew dangerously close. They were in the stairwell.

"Dean, you must go now. _Please._" Castiel's eyes were pleading.

"I don't think so." Dean growled, positioning himself below the building's massive rooftop water heater. "I owe you for saving my ass, so you just sit tight, Sleepin' Beauty." He winked.

"Dean-"

Suddenly the stairwell door flew open, so fast, that it was knocked off it's hinges. The invisible beasts roared, rounding on Dean who, waiting just until they were upon him, shot the hatch lock on the container, water bursting from it in waves.

Dean shot, stabbed and kicked at everything that moved, now visible by the steam pouring off their backs. Castiel watched with wide eyes, until Dean finished off the last one with his knife, driving the blade into it's side.

Even soaking wet and covered in blood, Castiel had never loved Dean more than he did in that moment. But then his rage boiled over.

"Why didn't you run when I told you too? That was reckless, audacious, not to to mention downright unsanitary! You could have been killed!" Castiel bellowed, finally healed, he picked himself up and slammed Dean against the brick wall, their faces inches apart.

Dean's devil-may-care attitude vanished, immediately replaced by fear. "Cas-"

"Don't 'CAS' me, you assbutt!" Castiel growled, pausing briefly before he smashed his lips down on Dean's._  
_

Dean was completely taken of guard, either from fear of Cas smiting him, or from pulling away. It was wrong on so many levels, but he couldn't ignore the electricity running through his entire being at that moment. He felt like he was on fire, bursting with power and energy. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around the angel, kissing him back ferociously.

Castiel pulled back as quickly as he had started, mortified. "Dean. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did that." _Fuck. __  
_

Dean's brain finally caught up with reality. He had just kissed an angel, a male one at that. And he _liked _it. _Fuck._

"It's okay." He finally found his voice. "Just don't mention this to my brother. Ever."

* * *

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy. You're all business, you know that. Get your head out of your ass, I mean book, and come eat some sushi." Gabriel whined, popping another roll into his mouth. The demon glared at him, but put his book away and crammed a roll into his mouth, chewing grumpily.

Beijing was a dead end. There was nothing to be found at the scene of the attack, Tiananmen Square, which was literally burnt to the ground. The was no evidence that the loyalists had even been there, other than witness accounts. Sam had poured over his books, looking for anything that might help them track down the loyalists, while Gabriel insisted on kicking back and entertaining gluttony.

"Sammy-"

"Don't call me that."

The archangel pouted. "So what, only Dean-O can call you that now?"

"Yes."

Gabriel snorted. "Whatever. Why are you working so hard on this? It was a dead end! Besides, it's supposed to be my job anyways, you're just along for the ride."

Sam smirked. "I think you got that mixed up. _I'm _doing all of _your _work."

Gabriel stuck his tongue out at the demon, fiendishly and waggled his eyebrows.

"You're such a flirt."

"Come hither."

Sam slugged the angel in the shoulder, playfully.

"So have you heard from Cas at all?" He didn't say it, but he was still a little bit nervous about leaving his brother alone with the angel.

"Nope. I assume he's probably a little _occupied." _The archangel grinned.

"What's that's supposed to mean?"

"You know. Doing the dirty with Dean-O." Gabriel smirked, making perverted gestures with his hands. The waitress walked by, giving him a look. He made a face.

Sam frowned. "Excuse me?"

Gabriel laughed, and then a realization dawned on him. "You don't know do you? About Castiel and Dean?"

"Know what, Gabriel." Sam snapped, irritated, suddenly thinking of something. "I thought you said their relationship was _platonic_!"

Gabriel rubbed his hands together mischievously, before taking the demon's hands in his own and opening his memories to him.

"Oh, this is going to be _so _much fun."


	13. Chapter 13

**Special thanks to:**

**Maknatuna **

**asphaltcowgrrl **

**BlackWings-BlueEyes**

**ill-interrogate-the-cat**

**Random Guests**

**For reviewing this story!**

* * *

Michael sat quietly at a small coffee shop outside of London, glancing at his watch. Raphael sure took his time getting here. Central London was in chaos, it had taken the angel half an hour to find a place to meet that wasn't destroyed or stuffed to the brim with curious spectators.

"Hello Michael." Raphael arrived in a whirl of feathers. "I trust you made it here alright."

"Yes, I had a bit of trouble getting here though. Angels were swarming the place." He frowned. Due to the way London was arranged, angels did not have the ability to 'pop' around. The archangel was quite unaccustomed to walking everywhere and found the whole ordeal rather unpleasant.

Raphael pulled out a file, opening it to reveal it's contents. "According to this, Elijah is indeed still alive and well. Better than well even. He's built quite a life for himself here in London, working undercover for the U.K Government. He disappeared from his home about a week before the attack."

Michael stirred some sugar into his coffee. "You think he did it?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, to tell you the truth." Raphael replied, remembering the young angel's close relationship with the light bringer.

Elijah was Lucifer's best and only friend in heaven. Most of his brothers had thought this to be a good thing, as they believed Elijah to be a good influence on Lucifer. The angel was friendly, charismatic and kind to everyone, the polar opposite of Lucifer. He was also close friends with Castiel and Dean, prompting the archangel to become more social with his brethren. But Michael knew that the influence went both ways.

Elijah was devestated when Lucifer rebelled and was cast out of heaven, entering a state of depression, and becoming a bit of a recluse. When Lucifer broke free of his prison starting the apocalypse, he blatantly refused to fight against him, but he didn't join him either. He simply remained in heaven, watching the chaos unfold below. When Michael finally defeated Lucifer, he left heaven with the majority of the host of heaven, living under the radar so that most of his brothers and sisters lost contact with him.

Michael hummed, rubbing his stubble. "I hope he didn't do it. He was a good kid. It was Lucifer who ruined him."

Raphael grunted in agreement.

Outside the cafe, Elijah watched the conversation with interest, his dark eyes flashing. He was standing alone in broad daylight, in complete view of the window, but he wasn't worried about anyone seeing him. No one would make the connection between this man, with his broadened shoulders and a dominating demeanor, to the young innocent he had been before. Bending down to a homeless man playing the fiddle halfheartedly, he exchanged a hundred dollar bill for the handful of coins in his collection can. The mans eyes widened in excitement and he began to play his fiddle furiously.

_"The Devil went down to Georgia. He was lookin' for a soul to steal.  
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind. He was willing to make a deal  
When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot.  
And the Devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said "Boy, let me tell you what."_

Elijah closed his eyes, turning the coins over in his hands, pacing back and forth along the window. His eyes flew open, and his pupils dilated, separating into three spinning orbs of black.

_"I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player, too._  
_And if you'd care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you. _  
_Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Devil his due._  
_I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you._

_The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin,_  
_But I'll take your bet; and you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best there's ever been."_

Michael rolled his neck, uncomfortably. He felt like he was being watched. Raphael snapped at him, turning his attention back to the conversation.

_Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.  
'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards.  
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold,  
But if you lose the devil gets your soul._

The homeless man continued to play enthusiastically, a small crowd gathering around him.

_The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show."_  
_And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow._  
_And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss._  
_And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this._

Elijah finally stopped pacing and cupped all of the coins in one hand. With a flick of his wrist, the coins hit the window with an unimaginable force, shattering the window completely.

_When the Devil finished, Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good ol' son,_  
_But sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."_

_"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run! _  
_The Devil's in the house of the rising sun; _  
_Chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough._  
_Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no._

Michael shielded his face, and Raphael ducked, looking for cover. People ran screaming through the streets, their faces covered in cuts, bleeding from the explosion of glass. The fiddler kept right on playing as if nothing had happened.

_The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat._  
_And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet._  
_Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again, _  
_'Cause I've told you once-you son of a bitch-I'm the best there's ever been."_  
_And he played: _

_"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run! _  
_The Devil's in the house of the rising sun; _  
_Chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough._  
_Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no."_

Raphael came out from under the table and began to usher the wounded, angel and human alike, out of the cafe. Michael spread his wings out in alert, surveying the street for the culprit, eyes resting on the dark haired man staring at him in the midst of all the chaos. At first glance he almost looked human, dressed up formally out for a walk. But unlike the rest of the streets inhabitants, he was not running around screaming bloody murder. He simply stared Michael right in the eye, three pools of black for pupils, spinning ever so slightly. The archangel stared right back, his blood beginning to boil with the resignation. He knew those eyes, the eyes that all of his brothers shared alone. The eyes of Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Castiel and Lucifer.

"Elijah." He whispered.

* * *

Castiel and Dean spent the rest of the day searching for any sign of life in the burning city. It was the most awkward twenty four hours of Dean's life. After Castiel's unexpected assault on his mouth, the angel had barely said anything to Dean for the rest of the day and they searched the wreckage. Even more disturbing was Dean's overwhelming urge to go throw him against the wall and continue what the angel had started. Despite this, he had an ongoing argument in his own head, trying to sort out this new found feeling.

_He's a friggin angel you pervert!_

_I know, but his lips felt so good-_

_You're not gay!_

_That's debatable._

_Sam would kill him._

_Screw Sam. I want to fuck him!_

It went on like that for the majority of the day. Unbeknownst to Dean, Castiel was having a similar battle within his own consciousness.

_Why did I do that! Stupid, stupid, stupid._

_Because he's your freaking soul mate, assbutt!_

_I know, but I can't tell him that. That would creep him out._

_I'm pretty sure we've already accomplished that._

_I am royally fucked._

The day went on like this, each avoiding eye contact and sending longing glances when they thought the other wasn't looking. For a moment it was a good thing there was no one left in the city because the amount of sexual tension in the air was enough to suffocate them both.

* * *

**Song used in this chapter: "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" by: The Charlie Daniels Band**

**In case you you've watched the Originals, you'll notice I based Elijah off of Elijah Mikealson from TVD (Because he's a BAMF) **

**So credit to Julie Plec and whoever else owns that show and their BA characters (yes i'm talking to you Damon Salvatore)**


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter isn't particularlly long but it will be rather action-y to make up for it**

* * *

Sam decided that he was definitely going to kill Castiel. Gabriel's memories were rather explicit, leaving the demon with more than a few mental images he would rather not think about at the movement. The waitress, already fed up with Gabriel's suggestive attitude, had kicked the pair out after Sam smashed their table apart during Gabriel's revelation.

"Sam, wait up!" Gabriel called, running down the dark alley, outside the bar.

"I'm going to kill him." The demon snarled, claws unsheathing.

"Woah there, Sammy boy. I get it, your mad, but i'm not going to let you go on a rampage just because you've got your panties in a twist." The archangel blocked his way, waving his arms to make up for the height difference.

Sam let out a feral growl. "Get out of my way, Gabriel. I don't care if I have to walk all the way to Moscow-"

"Enough talk about killing Castiel!" Gabriel finally snapped, stepping forward and prodding him in the chest. "You sit here and listen well, Sam Winchester. Everything that happened between them was in Dean's past life, he doesn't remember any of it! And I'll be damned if Castiel tries forcing himself on him, the guy was a practically a virgin when he met Dean!"

Sam snorted, brushing past him. "Mental image. Deleting now."

The archangel had to jog along side him to keep up. "My point is, Dean was a completely different person, or rather angel, when he met Castiel. He's human now, the circumstances are different. Besides, he wants to protect Dean just as much as you do."

The demon finally stopped, smashing his fist into the alley wall, and the whole building trembled. He hated to admit it, but what the archangel said was resonable. And as much as he tried, he just couldn't picture Castiel as the type of person who would take advantage of Dean like that.

"Fine." Sam grunted, pulling his arm out of the sizable hole he had made in the wall. "But if he starts pulling any funny business, then we're going to have a problem."

Gabriel sighed in relief and then brightened, slapping Sam on the shoulder.

"Great! Now we can finally get back to-"

BOOM!"

Beijing shook, and the entire plane leveled. A bit further downtown, there was a series of massive explosions, going off continuosly down the main street making their way towards Sam and Gabriel.

Sam's mind finally pulled out of the gutter when the chain of continued to explode until it was only a block away. The demon grabbed Gabriel's arm and the two hauled ass out of there, the heat of the blast burning into their skin as they ran.

Safely atop a tall building lining the fiery chaos that had taken Beijing, Crowley sat watching. Pulling out a rather expensive cellphone, the demon dialed and waited for the recipient to pick up.

"Crowley." A rough voice, answered.

"Phase 2 is complete, permission to engage."

"Permission granted. Phase 3 is underway."

"Perfect." The demon grinned, his eyes reflecting in the firelight. "Good luck, Lucifer."

* * *

"Dean." Castiel called, finally breaking the silence between them. "There is nothing to be found here. We should check back with Michael, who knows, maybe Raphael ordered an evacuation."

Dean surveyed the smothering remains of Moscow, though the fire had long since died out. Of all the places that had been attacked, this city had definitely been hit the worst. He hoped Castiel was right about the people, he wouldn't wish this kind of devastation upon anyone.

Turning to the Seraph, Dean prepared to leave, hesitating when he heard a voice nearby.

"Hello? Is anybody there?" The weak voice called. Castiel nodded to Dean and the two circled in on the source, pulling a man from the rubble of a collapsed building.

"Are you alright? Are there any others nearby?" Dean asked, checking him over. The man was lean and blond, with a rough face and tired eyes. Something about the way he stared at Dean, made Castiel's skin crawl. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about this man's aura was unusually familar...

"Dean, wait." The seraph cautioned, pulling him back.

"Oh don't be like that, Castiel." The man's frown turned into a wicked grin. "Haven't you missed your big brother?" Lucifer grinned, arms spread out wide, light radiating off his skin like the sun.

"Light bringer." He realized. "You've been reborn, how could you remember-"

"Elijah found me and restored all of my memories back to their former glory." A satisfied growl ripped through the devil's throat. "Being my soul mate, he was able to meld his grace with my soul. I guess that makes me an archangel again." He grinned, revealing his massive golden wings. "Only this time my strength is ten fold, so I won't be defeated."

Both angels drew their blades, pupils separating into three spinning pools of black.

"Prepare to die."

* * *

"Elijah!" Michael roared, his coat flapping in the wind.

"Hello to you too." He drawled with a formal, Austrialian accent.

"You're behind all of this?" He gestures to the chaos around them. "Why? What are you hoping to gain from all of this?"

Elijah smirked, folding his arms. "Michael, I may be behind it, but don't give me all the credit." He snapped his fingers and Raphael appeared at his brothers back, his sword pressed against the older archangel's throat.

"Judas!" He snarled, as he reached into his pocket and drew out the remaining three archangel blades and handed them to Elijah.

Elijah pocketed them, frowning at Michael with humor in his eyes. "Don't put all your chips in one place brother. You of all people should have learned that by now." He winked, referencing Gabriel's previous betrayal.

Michael's pupils dialated in his rage, seperating into three spinning pools of black. In a flash, he elbowed Raphael in the gut catching his sword when he faltered, and whirled around in a battle stance.

"You've just signed your own death sentence."

Elijah smiled and revealed his silver wings, thunder rolling in the distance. Power began visibly radiating off of him in waves as he drew his sword.

"You should have taken the chance to meld grace with Gabriel while you still had the chance. Both my own and Lucifer's power is strengthened ten fold now that our grace is merged." His eyes took the characteristics of an archangels as he spoke.

"Maybe you should have kept him on a better leash." The angel taunted, finally setting him off.

Michael roared, and his blade clashed with Elijah's, the contact sending shockwaves throughout the city.

* * *

**Any predictions? :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**I took a little break off writing, but I'm back now so yay!  
**

* * *

Sam and Gabriel ran for dear life, as the city erupted. A bomb chain was exploding throughout the city, literally ripping it in half. People screamed as buildings collapsed sending dust into the night sky, clogging the air.

The wave of rubble and fire was almost upon them and the demon began to panic. _We're not gonna make it._

"You gotta learn to think positive Sammy." Gabriel grinned, reading his mind. The archangel's wings exploded from his back, the ends getting singed from the heat of the fire closing in on them.

He began to pump his wings and took off into the air, grabbing Sam around the waist. "Hold on."

They launched into the sky, moments before a bomb was set off by the roaring fire where they had been standing. As they gained altitude, Sam looked around in horror at what used to be Beijing, China. The city had a massive split, right through the middle, buildings, cars and people falling down the chasm screaming. The demon felt like he was back in hell.

Gabriel pulled farther away from the city up into the clouds when suddenly, a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck the archangel in the back.

The angel and the demon plummeted to the Earth, crashing into a suburban area outside the city, creating a massive crater upon impact.

Sam groaned, pulling himself out of the rubble and finding himself face to face with Crowley, the King of Hell.

"Fuck my life."

"Now Moose, what did I tell you about that little potty mouth of yours." Crowley quipped, brushing the falling ashes off his shoulder.

Sam pulled himself to his feet, with some effort. He should have known Crowley would have something to do with this. Hell on Earth was his heaven.

"I know how much you enjoy chaos Crowley, but is all of this really necessary?" Sam growled, gesturing the the burning city behind them.

"I'm a demon, Sam! This is what demons do, in case you've forgotten that fact." His dark eyes flashed.

Gabriel came crashing through the woods at that moment, yelling obscenities. "Aye you, dickhead! What makes you think that you can just, knock people out of the sky anytime it suits your fancy." He mocked Crowley's accent, strolling down the slope.

"Ah yes, Gabriel is it? Sorry about that but I couldn't have you flying off now could I?" The demon snapped his fingers and a ring of holy fire erupted around the archangel.

"Seriously." Gabriel whined.

"What do you want Crowley?" Sam demanded, defensive at the archangel's sudden vulnerable state.

"Nothing personal mate. Just following orders."

"You don't follow orders, you give them." Sam retorted, crossing his arms. "You're the fucking King of Hell."

"Even the King of Hell has a boss." Crowley grinned, pointing at Gabriel. "You remember Gabriel's big brother."

"Lucifer? What did you do to him, he's innocent, we're not supposed to interfere!"

"Tell that to Elijah." The demon huffed. "As of yesterday, Lucifer has regained all of his memories and his status as an archangel. He's ready to led us once again."

"That's not possible."

"Yes it is Sam." Gabriel whispered. "Elijah was his soul mate, he has the power to do that."

Sam cursed, rounding on Crowley. "So that's your big plan? You, Elijah and Lucifer want to restart the apocalypse?"

"Give credit where it's due, moose. Raphael wants this as well."

"What!" Gabriel shouted, betrayal shining in his eyes.

Sam, punched the ground sending a shock wave throughout the city. "The Earth won't survive another war like this. Is that really what you want?"

"No, no moose, you've got it all wrong. What we want is power, that's all anyone born from this miserable planet has ever wanted! Earth is literally the doorway into every major power house in the universe. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, you control the doorway, you control them all."

Sam trembled in fury. He was a demon, he should be thinking along the same lines as Crowley. But his heart was soft, and he wasn't that far gone to realize what a terrible idea this was.

"What if you accidentally destroy the doorway, Crowley? What happens then?"

"If you destroy the Earth then all the inhabitants of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory would be free to roam the universe, to come and go as they please. But nobody wants that, that would just be disorganized, could you image the clutter?" Crowley shuddered. "No. Even if we do manage to rip apart the Earth, Elijah has enough power to put it back together."

"Elijah? He's not that powerful."

"Now that his grace is merged with Lucifer's, he has the power of an archangel ten fold. They both do, and I'm not stupid enough to argue with _that_." Crowley shrugged.

"So that's what this is all about. Those first attacks, you were just using them as a diversion, to separate us so Michael and Gabriel wouldn't pose a threat."

"Good for you moose, finally using your noggin!" Crowley smirked, snapping his fingers and trapping Sam in a wall of fire, similar to Gabriel's.

"It's nothing personal mate, I can't have you running off and getting yourselves killed. Lucifer doesn't wish Gabriel harm this time around, and I can say the same for you as you're my right hand man." He winked, sitting down on a stump and pulling out a magazine.

"I wish I could say the same for your friends."

* * *

Lucifer's fist connected with Castiel's jaw, sending him flying across the city.

"Cas!" Dean shouted, rounding on the devil with the Colt and shooting him multiple times through the chest.

Lucifer stared down at his chest, displeased. "Dean, don't be like that. You should just let me kill you now, it would save you the pain of living on this Earth any longer."

"Screw you."

"Come on Dean, come into the light." The light bringer held his arms out, palms glowing.

"No! Castiel tackled Lucifer head on, cutting off the dangerous blast of light aimed at Dean.

"You know Castiel, I really don't want to kill you, you know you've always been my favorite little brother. But I'm afraid Michael has corrupted you, and it's a shame, really it is."

The devil threw the seraph to the ground, his blade resting on his back.

"Dean run." Castiel whimpered, his face smashed into the dirt. Lucifer twisted the blade a little ways into his spine and the angel cried out in agony.

"You little-" Dean's eyes lit up in fury, the green of his eyes glowing. Without thinking, he ran at the devil and fly kicked him in the gut, sending him flying half a mile across the city.

"Did that seriously just happen." Lucifer growled buried underneath the rubble, angered at being knocked down so easily.

Dean ran to Castiel's side. "Cas-"

"Dean, how did you do that?"

"I have no idea, but right now we have to get out of here. Do you have any mojo left?"

The angel responded by placing two fingers on his temple and the pair disappeared from the city, just as Lucifer blasted through the remains of the debris restraining him.

They reappeared in a lush, green garden, stretching out in every direction without an end.

"Where are we?"

"You are in the Garden of Heaven." Joshua appeared, out of nowhere making his way towards them.

The seraph fell to the grass, clutching his wound in pain.

"Cas!" Dean knelt down beside him, rubbing the hair out of his eyes. "Stay with me buddy."

Joshua pushed past Dean and placed a hand over the angels wound. Light began to transfer from his hand, healing the mark.

"Rest now, Castiel."

The seraph closed his eyes and relaxed.

"What did you do to him?" Dean demanded, worried.

"I healed his wounds. I believe he used up too much of his grace getting you here, so now he must sleep."

"I thought angels didn't sleep."

"We do on occasion." Joshua smiled warmly. "Now tell me, why is it Castiel has brought you here of all places? It is not an easy trip to make."

Feeling that he could trust the angel after healing Castiel, Dean launched into the story about the attacks, finding the empty city and Lucifer. Joshua just nodded solemnly as he spoke, his face breaking into surprise when Dean mentioned knocking the devil across the city.

"I don't know what happened, I just stopped thinking and just _reacted, _you know?"

Joshua shook his head. "You really don't know do you."

"Know what?"

"An angel's soul mate, human or not, has a certain reserve of power that is only accessible when their charge is in danger."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Dean grunted, not liking where this was going.

Joshua smiled brightly.

"Dean, you are Castiel's soul mate."


	16. Chapter 16

**New chapter yay! It does get rather violent at some parts in this chapter so just a general warning for that.**

* * *

"Dean, you are Castiel's soul mate."

_What the absolute fuck._

"Can you repeat that." Dean didn't believe what he was hearing.

"You heard me. You are Castiel's one and only soul mate, that is what granted you the power to save him from Lucifer."

"But his _soul mate_? I'm not gay!"

Joshua chuckled. "Angels are gender less beings of celestial intent. Our vessels may be male or female but we ourselves are neither. Besides Dean, you aren't fooling anyone, we all know you have feelings for him."

"No I-"

"Don't BS me, Dean." Joshua smirked. "I'm an angel remember? I can see right past your little charade."

Dean hung his head in defeat. "Okay! I'll admit it, _God damn._"

The angel frowned at his language, folding his arms. "Look, you aren't even supposed to know about this. You possess the spirit of an angel that was once very dear to Castiel, but he died and as all angels do, was reborn as a human." Joshua looked Dean right in the eye. "A human named Dean Winchester."

Dean's jaw dropped in shock but Joshua continued anyway, resting on a bench in the Garden. "You see, Castiel's job was to guide you and protect you throughout your human life, but never to tell you the truth, as doing so would interfere with your free will. There is however, one exception to this rule: Should the Earth be in peril, an angel may bestow any knowledge upon his charge that may help him to survive." He paused, face grim.

"Castiel's job was to _protect me_? Mighty fine job he's doing." Dean snapped, glaring at the comatose angel.

"Dean, it is extremely difficult to find an reincarnated angel on Earth after they've been reborn. You don't know this, but you were quite well known in Heaven at one time. You were the only other Seraph in existance besides Castiel, whose power is only second to the archangels. So you see Dean, you were quite a respected in the host of heaven. But when you died all those years ago, the only one who had the power to find you was Castiel, and he searched for you for you for a hundred years before he finally found you at that auction."

"But I'm only thirty!" Dean exclaimed, suddenly thinking of something. "Joshua you have to tell me, when did I die?"

Joshua took Dean's hands in his own and smiled solumnly. "Let me show you."

* * *

_Fire rained down from the sky as angels clashed, the night lit up with the sounds of battle. Michael fought tooth and nail at the front lines with Balthazar against Crowley and Abaddon, sending shock waves that leveled the plain as they fought. The entire surface of the Earth was covered in fire and blood, cities burned to the ground and the human population nearly wiped out. Ten years after the start of the Apocalypse, the battle had finally come to a head. _

_Michael and Balthazar were being overwelmed by the demon hordes, that threatened to close in on them at any moment._

_"We need backup!" Balthazar shouted, piecing a hell hound though the neck and using it as a shield against the wall of demons._

_At that moment, the a massive hole in the void opened up, the light of heaven shining down on the Earth. Hundreds of angel's were plummenting towards the surface, wings burning up upon impact._

_"No! No, he couldn't have, it's not possible." Michael bellowed, tears welling up in his eyes. Lucifer had breached the ranks of heaven, casting out any reinforcements that might have been able to save them._

_As he stared up at the sky distracted, Balthazar took a bullet through the heart. "Michael!"_

_"Balthazar, no!" Michael cried, enraged and a wave of power exploded from his chest, smitting every demon within a mile. Abaddon and Crowley stood alone as the dust cleared._

_Ripping the bullet out of his chest like a solider, Michael pulled the angel to his feet and opened a hole in the void. "I'm sending you to Raphael, tell him to send anyone he can spare down to help." _

_Balthazar nodded and took off through the void, Castiel and Dean appearing from it a moment later._

_"Brothers, I am sorry that it has come to this." Michael whispered, as the two Seraph's stood beside him solumnly. _

_Dean turned to Castiel and whisphered something in his ear. _

_"I love you."_

_"I love you too Dean."_

_Michael finished the sentence for them, and joined hands with the seraphs. "Forever and always." _

_Crowley and Abaddon growled at the new arrivals and the began to call their master._

_"Lucifer, it is time to end this." The response was a thunderous roar, a dark mass of clouds forming above them in the formation of a skull. Lightning stuck the ground, sending any remaining structures to their knees. The devil appeared as the mist cleared, the pupils of his eyes spinning wildly._

_"Are you ready to meet your demise?" Lucifer's deep voice rang out._

_Michael opened his mouth to speak before Dean interupted him. "Not quite." The seraph grinned, waving a massive speaker out into existence._

_"Not without style." Drums and heavy guitar began to blast through the speakers and Castiel smirked. Even in the face of death, he maintained a sense of humor._

_The devil grinned. "So be it." And he surged forward drawing his blade, meeting Michael's head on, sending a blast across the Earth. Abaddon drew her own blade and ran at Dean while Castiel fought Crowley._

_The clash of weapons sent shock waves across the planet, splitting it down the middle, magma seaping up from the cracks. Despite the catacylsm that had overtaken the Earth, Dean began to sing as he fought._

"Spare me your judgments and spare me your dreams  
'Cause recently mine have been tearing my seams  
I sit alone in this winter clarity which clouds my mind"

_Lucifer summonded a massive ball of fire that shown with the power of the sun and launched it at Michael. The archangel deflected it, at the same time destroying a good portion of the atmosphere. And he began to sing._

"Alone in the wind and the rain you left me  
It's getting dark darling, too dark to see  
And I'm on my knees and your faith in shreds, it seems"

_Crowley smashed his fist into the ground, and magma exploded from the chasm. And Castiel began to sing with him._

"Corrupted by the simple sniff of riches blown  
I know you have felt much more love than you've shown  
And I'm on my knees and the water creeps to my chest"

_The three angels continued to sing in perfect collaberation as the Earth exploded._

"But plant your hope with good seeds

Don't cover yourself with thistle and weeds  
Rain down, rain down on me"

___Abaddon roared and sent a wave of meteors crashing down to the Earth._

"Look over your hills and be still  
The sky above us shoots to kill  
Rain down, rain down on me"

___Crowley nodded at Abaddon who grinned and the they both sent a combined fire attack on Dean. Castiel looked on as if it was in slow motion as Dean was hit squarely in the chest and sent spiraling to the magma covered surface._

___"Dean!" He shouted, as the seraph spiraled down towards the chasm. Castiel's grace exploded from his chest, unleashed in such as display that it smited Abaddon on the spot. Crowley watched as the angel began to lose control, vanishing from the battlefield before the seraph smited him as well. Castiel dived bombed to the surface hand extended hopelessly as Dean was swallowed up by the broken Earth._

"But I will hold on, I will hold on hope  
Oh, I will hold on, I will hold on hope  
Oh, I will hold on, I will hold on hope  
I will hold on, I will hold on hope  
I will hold on, I will hold on"

___Lucifer, distraced by the sudden disappearance of his ally was not prepared for the Michael's blow, sending him crashing down into the chasm with Dean, who looked him right in the eye and continuing to sing softly as they both fell to their deaths._

"I begged you to hear me, there's more than flesh and bones  
Let the dead bury the dead, they will come out in droves  
But take the spade from my hands and fill in the holes you've made

But plant your hope with good seeds  
Don't cover yourself with thistle and weeds  
Rain down, rain down on me"

* * *

Dean ripped his mind from the memory as he felt past life ebb away.

"Oh my god." Of all the horrors he had seen in Joshua's memories, the look on Castiel's face when he fell was what shocked him the most. It shocked him to his very core. He reached down and pulled the sleeping angel into his lap as Joshua looked on, smiling sadly.

"I am so sorry Cas." The seraph's brilliant blue eyes flew open.

"Dean-" Dean cut him off by pulling the angel's face to him own and smashing their lips together before pulling away. Castiel looked suprised, and warm tears began to run down his face.

"I remember you." Dean smiled, wiping the tears off his cheek gently.

Castiel's eyes widened, and Dean placed a hand over the angel's mouth before he could respond.

"And I love you too."

* * *

**Song used in this chapter: **

**Thistle and Weeds by: Mumford and Sons**


	17. Chapter 17

**Just wanted to send out a general thank you to every who has read/reviewed/favorited/followed this story. Specifically to Maknatuna, who has read/reviewed every chapter, you rock! :) Will update again soon.**

* * *

"And I love you too."

Five words. Those five words were all it took and Castiel broke down in his arms.

"Shhhh, it's alright Cas, I've got you. I'm right here." Dean rocked the angel slowly in his arms, kissing his head as Castiel had done for him when he rescued him from Zacariah.

"You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear you say that." The seraph whispered, looking up at him and brushing the hair out of his eyes. "I'm so sorry Dean. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."

"It's alright Cas, I think it was meant to happen. Because if I hadn't died then I wouldn't have met Sam, and somehow we still wound up together anyways." Dean comforted him, speaking softly.

The angel relaxed into his arms. "Who ever said that God didn't work in mysterious ways."

Joshua smiled at them warmly. "I am truly blessed to have witnessed this, but I must ask Castiel, what are you going to do now? I'm sure you've figured out by now that Lucifer's plan was to separate you from the others. Though you appear to be the only one who was able to get away."

Dean's head jerked up. "Sammy."

"I'm sure he'll be alright, Crowley has somewhat of a sentimental attachment to him, And Lucifer wants Gabriel on his side." Joshua mused. "Michael's the one we should be worried about, he has to deal with Raphael and a super powered Elijah."

"What did you say about my brother?" Castiel broke out of Dean's embrace, sitting up.

"Raphael has betrayed him, and Elijah has bonded himself to Lucifer. Crowley set up the attacks to separate Michael and Gabriel." Joshua explained, his face grim.

"What are we going to do? Even if Gabriel is under Sam and Crowley's protection, there's no way Michael will survive fighting Raphael _and_ Elijah." Castiel's blue eyes were anxious.

"I know. Your only chance is bonding with Dean and restoring him to seraph status. The power of two bonded seraphs could match the power of an archangel and a lower tier angel such as Elijah. If you manage to free Gabriel and Sam, you will have a greater chance at defeating all four of them." Joshua theorized, folding his hands into his lap.

"Okay, lets do this." Dean declared, determined to rescue his brother.

"Dean are you sure about this? We can find another way." Castiel askes, uncertain.

"Cas, your brothers are about to turn the Earth into a boxing ring, _again. _We don't have the luxury of options right now. Now are we going to do this angelic grace bonding thing or what?" Dean demanded, stopping his foot into the dirt.

Castiel surrendered, taking Dean's hands in his own. "Alright. Be prepared, this won't hurt but you will be able to hear all of my thoughts from now on." He paused. "You will also regain all of your old memories." Dean stiffened but signaled for him to continue.

"I'm ready."

* * *

Michael's sword met Elijah' sending a responding shockwave across the city that rocked the buildings and upturned cars.

Raphael drew his blade and appeared at Elijah's flank.

"Brother don't do this." Michael pleaded, panting. "We can work this out."

"No I don't believe we can brother. Your beloved democracy has reduced us, the four archangels of heaven, to nothing but a couple of petty politicians. I want our real power back." Raphael snarled.

"That is a dangerous path to go down, Raphael. Just look at what happened to the people who have chased after that psychotic dream before. It will never end well, so stop this nonsense while you still can!"

"It's too late Michael." The archangel smirked, readying his blade. "Well, for you anyway."

And the three angels clashed, thus beginning the apocalypse 2.0. Elijah summoned balls of fire and ice raining down from the sky, and Raphael awakened tremors deep within the Earth that leveled the plain. London was at the epicenter, reduced to utter chaos. People ran for their lives as chasms opened up in the ground, skyscrapers bending, collapsing and falling into the pit. Angels flew in every direction, trying to avoid getting hit in the crossfire.

Michael met the angels blow for blow, fighting a one man army on two fronts. He was an archangel, fierce and powerful, his power was absolute. But even the most powerful beings of celestial intent have their limits. Fighting two angels with enough combined power that surpassed his, was one of them.

Raphael smashed his fist into the ground, sending a massive cloud of dust and ash into the air as a nearby volcano erupted. Distracted, Michael wasn't prepared for Elijah's attack, catching him straight in the chest, sending him plummeting towards the ground. Raphael and Elijah began to consolidate their grace into a massive sphere of raw power. Michael used the remaineder of his grace to create a light shield around him, blocking out the harsh glare. Putting all of their strength into it, the two angels launched the sphere at Michael, surronding his shield which cracked upon impact. It was then, that Michael knew he was going to die. Wordlessly, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed the most familar number on his phone, the recipent picking up on the third ring.

"Hello." Crowley answered, sounding bored.

"Let me speak to them."

"Okay." The demon responded without arguing and putting the call on speaker phone. "Say hello, boys."

"Michael are you alright?" Gabriel burst out.

Silent tears ran down Michael's face as he spoke. "Gabriel, I just want you to know, I never wanted you to think I used you to gain power. You are my brother and I will always love you, you built me into the person I am today and for that I thank you." He choked out.

"Michael-"

"Take care of him Sam."

The call dropped and Michael felt his phone slip out of his hands and he drove his sword into the dirt. Wiping the tears from his cheek, he stared up at the brilliant white light that threatened to break past his barrier at any moment. Closing his eyes as the light broke through, the archangel accepted his fate with the knowledge that he would meet his brothers again in the next life.

He felt a small amount of pain and the world dissolved into a never ending hall of white. A single man stood beside him, face glowing like the sun as he held out his hand.

"Jesus."

"One day my Father will return you too the Earth when it is safe for all of his children to live together again in harmony. But for now, come my child and live in peace with me in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus smiled warmly at him. "You have earned it my son."

Michael reached up and took the man's hand and felt an overwelming sense of peace wash over him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all**  
**But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall**  
**Lend me your eyes I can change what you see**  
**But your soul you must keep, totally free**

**- Mumford and Sons (Sigh no more)**

* * *

Dean felt like his head was splitting in two. The levees of his mind burst open, allowing the wave of memories to to flood his brain.

* * *

_The universe was young when God created Dean, the stars still forming, the Earth not even thought of yet. The Lord took the dust of a newly formed galaxy and melded it into a new angel. God smiled admiring his handiwork and reached into the void, grabbing a exact replica of Castiel's grace and poured it onto the new angel, giving him life. The angel's eyes flew open and he stared into the eyes of his heavenly Father._

_"Hello my child. Welcome to the universe." God considered him for a minute, taking the angel's hands in his own. "You're name shall be, Dean."_

_Dean struggled, trying to form words with his mouth. "Dean." He giggled, enjoying the sound of his own voice._

_ You are a very special angel Dean, one of of a single pair."_

_Dean gazed at God in wonder, tilting his head and the Lord smiled at him._

_"I have great plans for you, Dean."_

_A few billion years later..._

_Dean had already been kicked out of two garrisons and was now getting sent to Anna's garrison. The seraph pumped his wings angrily through the void. Apparently he was 'arrogant' and 'didn't play well with others.' My feathery ass, Dean thought landing in his new garrison fifteen minutes late. Anna gave him a disapproving look and called the class to attention, introducing him. He waved half-heartedly eyes falling on a small angel hiding in an over sized trench coat. If Dean's heart was capable of skipping a beat, it would have the moment their eyes met. Fierce green eyes met sad blue ones that were on the edge of tears. Dean's eyes flicked to the group of angel's next to him, giggling and pointing to the young angel. The seraph felt a wave of protectiveness rush over him, relived when Anna paired him with the young angel, Castiel._

_He quickly dismissed the group of angels that blocked him from Castiel with his usual smart ass attitude that had gotten him kicked out of his previous garrison. Castiel stared at his out stretched hand, unsure._

_"Nice to meet you, Cas...can I call you Cas?"_

_The angel let out a relieved breath and took his hand._

_"Yes, Cas is great."_

_And he smiled. And it was the most beautiful thing Dean had ever seen._

_Over the next few billion years, Dean and Castiel became best friends. They eventually figured out that they were soul mates as they were the most powerful angels in their garrison when together. They soon became lovers, and Dean became a part of Castiel's family, befriending Elijah and Gabriel. Together, they shared many happy years before Lucifer's corruption and Dean's tragic death._

_Dean felt the memories begin to weave together, most of them involving Castiel. He felt the joy when they sang together, the rush when they fought together, the passion when they loved...the most recent feeling was the blinding pain when felt when he died. Not from his death, but from the pain of watching Castiel stare down at him, helpless as he fell through the Earth's crust with Lucifer._

* * *

Dean's green eyes flew open. Immediately his mind was assaulted by a wave of thoughts, repeating over and over. _Dean, please wake up, I need to know you're okay._

"Dean!" Castiel's hand grabbed his face pulling the restored angel towards his chest. "Are you alright."

"I'm fine Cas, stop worrying." The seraph comforted him staring up in wonder. Everything was enhanced, the Garden lit up in a brilliant display of colors. But the only thing he could see was the angel holding him.

"Cas, you're so beautiful." Dean reached up and placed a hand on his face. Castiel held it against his own, tears running down his face.

"I love you Dean."

"I love you too." Dean smiled, a wave of emotion crashing over him. "I just want to-"

He reached up and kissed his angel gently, their lips brushing together softly.

"Do you trust me Cas?" Dean's stared into Castiel's longingly.

"I have always trusted you Dean."

* * *

"Michael!" Gabriel shouted into the night, tears rushing down his face.

"Crowley, let us go. You've gone too far." Sam snarled, furious. Michael may be a bit of a dick, but he didn't deserve to die.

"No can do Moose." Crowley drawled, flipping through his magazine lazily.

"If you have ever valued our friendship you miserable bastard, please just grant me this one chance." Sam pleaded more softly this time.

Crowley hesitated, looking at his apprentice.

"It's too late, Sam." Lucifer appeared, eyes flickering in the firelight. "Michael's dead."

Gabriel fell to his knees, sobbing. Sam's eyes flicked to black and he felt a piece of his humanity melt away.

"I'm sorry." Crowley whispered to Sam as he passed his barrier. "I really am."

The demon just glared, with hate filled eyes as Crowley made his way to Lucifer.

"Did you find Dean?"

"You're after my _brother_?" Sam roared. "That's it, you are _so _dead." In Sam's fury, the Earth began to split, a crack making its way towards the devils trap.

Lucifer snapped his fingers and the tremors stopped. "Chill out Sam, your brother got away with his little angel buddy." The devil growled, resting on a stump. "I need a beer." He groaned, waving one into existence.

"They got away? Lucifer, you need to get it together, you're a freaking archangel, you can do better than this!" Crowley groaned, his head in his hands.

The devil took a swig from the bottle and glared at his ally. "Give me a break, I went from being an average human to finding out I was Satan. The apocalypse can wait, I need a drink." He downed another beer.

Crowley just shook his head, mumbling under his breath. "Elijah, you better have a better plan than this."

A few moments later the angel appeared, Raphael at his side. Gabriel immediately leaped to his feet, a string of accusations aimed at his brother.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HIM! HE WAS OUR BROTHER!" Raphael just glared at him and waved his hand, the barrier muting his voice.

"Lucifer, you must not take this matter lightly. If we are to regain the Earth we must eliminate our enemies." Elijah insisted.

"Why did I ever want the Earth so badly anyway? This planet blows." Lucifer snorted, reaching for another beer before Elijah blocked him.

"God, I would not have wanted to know you as a human." The angel wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You and I are literally the most powerful beings in the universe, and all you want to use your power for is to entertain your mundane human cravings!" Elijah knocked the bottle out of Lucifer's hand, grabbing him by his shirt. "Look at me, Lucifer. I need you to focus." The pupils of his eyes began to spin hypnotically.

"You are going to get off your drunk ass, and help us restart the apocalypse." Elijah snarled, speaking slowly.

Lucifer was in a daze for a minute before he snapped out it, his eyes turning dark. "I'm going to restart the apocalypse." He repeated, and Elijah grinned evilly.

"You're controlling him aren't you." Sam realized, approaching the edge of his barrier. "Why? The apocalypse already happened, he lost and you didn't even participate in it. Now all of a sudden you want to help him destroy the Earth again? What is wrong with you?" Sam whispered, tears in his eyes. "He had another chance Elijah! He was human, and he had a chance at redemption and now you just want to take that away from him?"

The angel shook his head, eyes dangerous. "You misunderstand me, demon. All I want is to give him the world he deserves. Lucifer fore bade me from entering the war the first time, and then he went and got himself killed. His so called family is what ruined him! I'm going to give it back." He paused giving his soul mate a long look. "He just needs to get used to the knowledge that he is not a human anymore."

Crowley snorted, still flipping through his magazine. "Yeah, good luck with that."

Sam's mind spun with the new information, trying to organize his thoughts. _Michael is dead. Castiel and Dean are alive. Lucifer is a drunk sociopath with the power of an archangel, under the influence of an equally powerful angel with an accent and an arrogant attitude. _A light bulb went off in his head as he began to formulate the stupidest plan ever.

"So what, you think Lucifer will finally love you back once you give him his precious Earth?" Sam taunted, eyes glinting mischievously.

Elijah closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Don't tempt me, demon."

"You know I'm right." Gabriel sent him a warning glance but Sam continued, grinning. "What has entered and contaminated your brain to make you think this is okay?"

"Don't piss him off moose." Crowley advised.

"It would not end well for you." Raphael's deep voice agreed.

Sam laughed. "Seriously, look at you guys! The devil, drunk off his ass, so much for that holy alcohol tolerance." He winked at Lucifer before continuing, pointing at Crowley. "My arrogant ass boss, the self proclaimed King of Hell, who thinks he's British."

"I am British!" Crowley countered, not looking up.

Sam ignored him and turned to Raphael. "A teenage mutant ninja angel, and _you._" He finished, stopping in front of Elijah. "The dick who thinks he can rule the universe." Elijah narrowed his eyes.

"You make the Hitler look like Godzilla."

Elijah snapped his fingers and Sam's barrier disappeared, eyes murderous.

Sam spoke, every word laced with venom, pushing the angel to his breaking point.

"You are the definition of a fool, Elijah. And you will always lose."

Elijah drew his sword rounding on the demon.

"Elijah, calm down." Crowley warned, finally looking up.

"Shut up Crowley!" Elijah snapped, glaring at him. "You're little pet is getting on my last nerve. I'm going to wring his little neck!" The angel turned back to his target to find that Sam had disappeared, escaping in a dark cloud of dust.

Elijah cursed, staring at the barrier he had removed only a moment earlier. Damn demon tricked him.

"Crowley, go retrieve your pet." He ordered, eyes flicking to Lucifer, who was watching the exchange with a bemused expression. "Lucifer and I have an apocalypse to plan."


	19. Chapter 19

**Special thanks to ****Maknatuna and deanplaysguitarforcas for reviewing the last chapter!**

* * *

Dean woke up under a never ending night sky in heaven. Castiel was laying in the grass beside him, snoring softly. Dean smiled, placing a light kiss on the his hair. The pair had spent the night getting used to their new bond as they slept, sending thoughts and memories across the link in their grace. Dean smiled down at the angel, cupping his face in his hand, and Castiel's eyes flew open.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting to meet you?" Dean smiled tracing Castiel's jawline with his nose.

"Yes. Because I've been searching for you're ass the whole time." The seraph growled, biting his lip softly. Dean pulled his angel into his arms and sighed.

"I could stay here forever, I only wish my brother were here too." Dean broke free of Castiel's embrace, leaping to his feet remembering his brother's plight.

"Sam! He's in trouble, I can't believe I forgot."

"It's not your fault Dean. The longer you are in Heaven, the less you will remember about your human life." Joshua appeared, eyes twinkling.

The seraph ran a hand through his hair. "Is that some side affect of this, grace bonding thing?"

"Your memories are blending together." Joshua explained. "You just have to learn to separate these new memories from your human thoughts."

"Right, I'll work on that." Dean pulled Castiel to his feet. "How long have we been out?"

"Only a few hours. You both feel asleep after initiating the bond. I thought it best to let you sleep and regain your strength." Joshua ran his hand over the flowers in the Garden.

"Thanks man, but Cas and I need to get back to Earth pronto. If Lucifer found us, the others are probably in trouble too."

A light breeze blew through heaven, a bright light materializing in the center of the garden in the form of a man.

"Michael? What are you doing here." Castiel whispered, realization dawning on him. "No, you're not...you can't be."

"I'm sorry brother." Michael shook his head, smiling sadly. "It was my time to go."

"Don't BS me Michael. Who did this?" Castiel snarled, fists clenching.

Michael frowned, looking away. "Elijah...and Raphael."

The seraph closed his eyes, tears running down his cheek. "That bastard."

Dean wrapped his arms around his mates waist as he cried angry tears.

"Why haven't you been reborn?" Castiel asked, trying to contain his anger.

"Father has decided that the Earth is not safe for his creations anymore. I am to remain in heaven until the case is otherwise." Michael explained.

"So what are you then? Angel or human?" Dean asked, stepping forward.

"Something in between. I am nothing but a spirit with wings." Michael revealed his massive white feathers. "In heaven I maintain the status of an Archangel, but I cannot return to the Earth."

Dean folded his arms, frowning. "Then what are we gonna do. We need you man." The seraph's tear filled eyes flicked to Michael.

The archangel's wings drooped. "I'm sorry Dean. I'm so sorry-"

BOOM!

A sudden tremor shook heaven, seemingly everywhere at once.

BOOM!

"What the hell." Joshua put a finger to Dean's lips, silencing him. "Do not speak of hell in my Garden boy. You are in Heaven. Act like it."

BOOM!

"It sounds like it's coming from the gates." Michael surmised.

Castiel placed a hand on Dean, and the two seraph's appeared at Heaven's pearly gates.

"What the hell." Castiel whispered.

"Dean!"

"Sammy!"

The demon was knocking heavily on the doors, the sound echoing across heaven violently.

Dean kicked open the gates of Heaven with little regard, pulling his brother into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I believe the question you should be asking is, _how is he here_?" A man with a heavy accent called. "Most demons cannot make it pass the checkpoint. Well, unless you're the King of Hell, of course." Crowley smirked, twirling a key around his finger. "I get a pass, for meetings."

Castiel's eyes flared, drawing his blade. "YOU!" His voice boomed like thunder.

"It's me. King Crowley in the flesh. I'm sorry, did you want an autograph?" The demon grinned, winking at him.

"I _will _kill you. Do you understand?" Castiel's blue eyes burned with hatred.

"Castiel, don't. He's here to help." Sam gasped, clutching his chest and he began retelling the story of their capture.

"Why is he helping you? He destroyed Beijing, just to prove a point!" Dean fumed.

"Give me a break squirrel, I'm a demon, I have needs. Destructive impulses." Crowley rolled his eyes, making gestures with his hands. "Anyway, Elijah sent me to recapture moose over here but I made a different call."

"Why?"

"Because the devils an alcoholic, Raphael's a dick and Elijah is insane. Even if you are the losing team, I would prefer to go down with my sanity still intact thank you very much." Crowley grinned.

Castiel looked murderous.

"Cassie, get that stick out of your ass will you, you look constipated." The demon teased.

The seraph looked like he wanted to wring his neck but Sam fixed him with a glare. "If Elijah means to restart the apocalpyse, we'll need all the help we can get."

"It's already started, you idiots. You think Beijing was just for fun? That was only the opening act." Crowley grimanced.

Dean folded his arms across his chest. "Alright what's the plan."

"Raphael is going to try and take out any of your potential allies, while Lucifer regroups the loyalists. We need to take advantage of their separation. I will return with Sam to help spring Gabriel while you and Castiel gather any allies."

Dean nodded his face grim, turning to Castiel. "Who should we look for first?"

Castiel thought for a moment, before looking up. "Balthazar."

* * *

Elijah paced in front of Gabriel's prison. Lucifer was off rallying the loyalists while Raphael worked to break down Michael's web. If only he could get Gabriel to cooperate.

"Gabriel, the only reason your still alive is because Lucifer has a soft spot for you. Don't push your luck with me." He snapped at him.

"Listen here you-" Gabriel started, eyes furious.

"Hello darling." Crowley interrupted, appearing in a cloud of smoke, Sam chained to his side.

"Good, you've found him, put him back in his cage." Elijah replied without looking up.

Crowley snapped his fingers, a fake devils trap surrounding the demon. "May I speak with you for a moment? In private?" The demon smirked, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"If you stop being an ass." Elijah replied, making his way towards the edge of the clearing. Crowley winked at Sam, before disappearing after him. The demon waited for a few moments before snapping his fingers, the holy fire extinguished.

"Gabriel, zap us out of here, we gotta go."

The archangel looked confused for a moment, his eyes narrowing in realization. "With pleasure." Gabriel placed two fingers to his head, zapping them away just as Elijah came bursting back into the clearing, fuming. _That damn demon tricked him. Again._

The angel smashed his fist into the ground in fury, leveling the plane. He drew Michael's blade, relaying a message to Raphael.

"Forget the plan. Kill them all."


	20. Chapter 20

Raphael cast his dark eyes over Washington D.C, the pupils of his eyes spinning menacingly. The original plan was simply to take out any major potential threats but Elijah had made it clear that he wanted Michael's empire to burn.

The archangel rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles, eyes flashing. _And burn it shall. _Without warning, he smashed his fist into the Earth, sending a shockwave throughout the city. The buildings leveled and the ground opened up, human and angel alike running for safety.

Raphael smirked. "Too late." Releasing his wings, he drew in a massive amount of grace and casted it to the heavens. The archangel summonded a wave of astroids hurtling towards the Earth, setting off a devestasting chain of events. The massive space rocks burned through the atmosphere, hitting the Earth in different locations around the Earth simultaniously. Angels watched as the asteroids hit their mark on every continent, sending a series of blast waves racing across the globe. Tsumani's washed away at coastal cities and towns, and earthquakes awakened volcanic eruptions that spewed dust into the air, blocking out the sun. Billions died instantly, the ones who survived attempting to escape through the void.

Raphael gazed around at the chaos he had created. D.C, for the most part, had miraculously survived becuase of Michael's protection spell, but the ground had leveled enough that some buildings were collapsing. Angels pulled people from the rubble, oblivous to the catacylsm that had taken over the rest of the world

_Not for long. _The archangel grinned, stepping past the boundary.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A deep voice sounded from behind him.

Raphael smiled, drawing his blade from his sleeve. "Castiel." In one swift motion, the archangel whipped around, launching his blade at the voice behind him.

The seraph caught it in one hand, without much effort to Raphael's surprise. "You shouldn't have been able to do that." A realization dawned on him. "No, you can't be-"

"Too late." Dean's voice whispered in his ear, the seraph driving his blade into the archangels back, just missing his heart.

"That was for Michael."

Raphael fell to the ground, unconcious but not dead. He had used a regular angel blade that had been spelled to render the archangel powerless as long as it was not removed.

"I should kill you for what you did to our brother." Castiel growled. "But that would make me just as bad as you."

"Go to hell." Raphael snarled, face smashed into the dirt.

"Fine. I'll just hand you over to Gabriel then, let him do to you what he wishes." Castiel snapped his fingers and the youngest archangel appeared a moment later, eyes murderous.

"Your my little bitch now." Gabriel grinned, grabbing his brother by the collar and vanishing from the city.

Castiel stared at the empty space for a moment before turning to Dean.

"We have to find Balthazar and evacuate the city, _now." _

The barrier protecting the city from the havoc that ravaged the Earth was weakening, cracks forming along the base.

"How long do you think we have?" Dean asked.

"Ten minutes at best."

"Alright." The seraph drew his blade, relaying a message to the rest of the city. "We have to move quickly then."

Dean and Castiel worked quickly to evacuate the survivors into Heaven, running into Balthazar in Michael's office.

"Cassie, what is going on."

"Lucifer, Elijah, Apocalypse, thats all you need to know. But right now, we need to work on getting out of here-"

At that moment the barrier shattered, tsunamis and volcanic ash flooding the city. Jo stood stock still, hand over her mouth in horror as they watched the wave of death rush towards the White House.

"Take cover!" Dean pulled Balthazar and Jo into the corner while Castiel surronded them in a protective shield as the wave of ash ripped the building to pieces.

* * *

Sam leaned against barrier they had made to protect them from the blast wave, as Crowley opened the devil's gate.

"Ladies first." The demon grinned, motioning for him to enter.

Sam rolled his eyes but leaped into the pit anyway, free falling into the depths of Hell. The demons landed heavily on a outcropping of rock in a sea of lava. Sam looked around at their surroundings, briefly disturbed at how familiar they were to him.

"Alright Crowley, whats the plan? You may be the King of Hell but most demons down here wouldn't be very supportive of the plan to fight on team free will." Sam scoffed.

"Nonsense moose. You know how people love wartime presidents. You may not be able to convince them Sam." The demon snapped his fingers, and his attire changed to something more formal. "But I'm Crowley."

The demon whistled and a massive black dragon rounded the corner, hovering about the nether looking down at it's master.

"Hello darling, I need a favor. Go round up the court, I'm holding a meeting." The massive beast blinked in understanding showing its sharp teeth. The dragon spread its coal black wings and took off further into the depths of hell, shrieking eerily relaying Crowley's command.

Sam waved his hand, a massive stage materializing from the pit and Crowley stepped up to the podium where a crowd of demons was gathering.

"Ahem." Crowley began tapping the mic. "You may be wondering why I've called you all here. In case you haven't been up to Earth in the last twenty four hours you should note that the apocalypse 2.0 has just begun." An uneasy murmuring went through the crowd.

"Lucifer has been reborn, and with the help of Elijah and the archangel Raphael, is seeking to overtake the doorway. Now I know that this seems like a good thing, hell on Earth great for business blah, blah, blah but that is bad investing folks! Should Lucifer succeed in overthrowing Michael's empire, there will be no humans left to make a profit. And don't tell me we can always go and deal with the martians becauae we all know how that does in the stock market." Crowley rolled his eyes, and the crowd laughed.

"I have made the descision to fight on team humanity, team free will, or whatever they're calling it these days." He smirked at Sam's nickname for the alliance. "So here's the deal. I don't run that democrocy crap Michael had going on up there so you can either

a) Join the cause, get your asses up there and start kicking angel butt, or

b) Go on a date with black beauty here."

Crowley grinned, tapping his monsterous pet.

Unsurprisingly, most agreed to the first option with the exception of a few Lucifer loyalists who were in favor in getting eaten by a dragon than to fight alongside humanity.

Crowley wrapped up his speech smirking at Sam who was calling his own dragon down to the rock island.

"Crowley for president!"

Sam rolled his eyes, mounting the red dragon. "It's too bad, I would vote for you but you're a dictator so I guess I'll just go along with it."

"Stop being such a smart ass." Crowley sassed, hopping on the black dragon and looking back at the demon army assembling behind them.

"Let's raise a little hell." The demon gave the signal and the army flew up through the nether, bursting through the devils gate and into the cataclysm that had overtaken the Earth.


	21. Chapter 21

Dean blasted through the rubble of the White House, carrying Jo over his shoulder.

"Jo, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Jo had entered a state of shock, rocking back and forth, arms folded over her head.

"We need to get her out of here Dean." Castiel warned, pulling Balthazar out from under the wreckage.

Pressing two fingers to the girls head, Dean sent her to heaven's "green room" which they were using as an evacuation shelter. Though there was hardly anyone left to save, Dean thought, looking around at the empty city.

"Elijah must have started early." Castiel remarked, grimacing.

"Does someone want to tell me whats going on?" Balthazar winced, healing a nasty gash in his side. The seraph proceeded to explain the situation while Dean sent a message to his brother.

"Sam, we're sitting ducks out here. Where is our backup?"

"We're making our way to you, try not to die until we get there."

"Will do." Dean pulled his sword out of the dirt, closing the connection. Gabriel the archangel popped into existence a moment later, looking smug.

"What's the situation with Raphael?" Castiel asked, eyes narrowed.

"Joshua has him chained to the highest tree in the Garden. He won't be going anywhere." Gabriel's golden eyes flashed, clenching his fists.

"Good." Castiel sighed in relief. He was glad that Gabriel had the restraint not to kill their brother right then and there. Raphael should pay for his part in Michael's death, but he didn't deserve to die.

A swirling mass of blood red clouds formed over the city, unnatural lightning stricking the center, revealing Lucifer and Elijah.

Castiel's trenchcoat blew wildly in the wind, and his eyes flashed.

"Brother, haven't we already been through this? You know how this story will end."

Lucifer crossed his arms, mouth tipped up in a smile. "I'm here to finish what I started all those years ago. Only this time, big brother isn't going to be here to protect you." The devil pointed his sword at Dean. "And if I am to die here today, I'm taking you to hell with me, Dean Winchester."

Castiel snarled, wrapping a protective arm around his mate. "Do you have a deathwish?"

The sky suddenly lit up with the sound of a monsterous roar. The dark cloudcover disappated, revealing a massive pair of black dragons. Sam and Crowley dive bombed off of their backs, landing beside the angels.

"I'm pretty sure I recall Michael saying the exact same thing to me not to long ago. Oh the irony." Sam grinned, and Castiel returned the gesture, nodding at Crowley.

"The King of Hell has arrived everybody!" Elijah mocked, pumping his wings in a of expression of power. "Come to beg for mercy." The angel snapped, still bitter at the demons betrayal.

"Actually." Crowley snapped his fingers and the pair of dragons landed on a nearby hill, revealing a massive army of demons and hell spawn. "I'm here to even the playing field."

Dean stepped forward arms spread out mockingly. "Now let's compare. Team free will over here, thats us. The King of hell, Sam fucking Winchester, a sociopathic archangel, Michael's most powerful ally and a pair of bonded seraphs." The angel laughed, slapping a hand on his friends ass. "And then there's team duoshebag. An alchohic archangel, Raphael the King of dicks, which by the way is currently chained up in Heaven. And you big fella," Dean prodded the angel in the chest. "The lovestruck idiot that thinks he can rule the world."

Elijah slammed Dean into the dirt faster than he could blink. "Look around you Dean. Your empire has fallen, your beloved humanity is nearly extinct and you couldn't even lift a finger to stop it." His breath was hot in the seraph's ear. "And if I have to eliminate a few rodents to regain the Earth, then so be it." With that, the angel tapped into his bonded grace, and slammed his fist into Dean's side, sending him flying into Castiel.

"Let it begin."

* * *

The Lord observed the altercation from his Kingdom in Heaven with knowing eyes. He already knew the outcome of this story, just as he knew the outcome of events a billion years into the future. Most would look at the chaos that had over taken the Earth and ask, how could this be God's plan?

The Lord sighed, smiling sadly at Michael beside him. But this story wasn't about the Earth. This was about Dean and Castiel. Their bond would serve as a monument to the all creation. Literally.

* * *

The moment the angels drew their blades, the armies of hell rushed the battlefield. It was almost surreal, a mirror of the events unfolding on the hundred year aniversy of the first apocalypse. When Castiel and Elijah's blades clashed, a shockwave was sent across the terrian, destroying almost anything in it's path. The demon army unleased hell on Earth, sending massive balls of fire at the devil, who retaliated furiously. Lucifer's fist hit Balthazar square in the chest, sending him spiraling towards the surface. The angel hit the concrete with the weight of a mountain, the ground exploding upon impact.

"Balthazar!" Castiel cried out, narrowly missing a blast of energy aimed at his heart.

But the angel was long gone, sucked into the mile wide pit in the Earth, a fair amount of demons falling into the hole with him. Sam, Gabriel and Crowley retaliated in fury, synchronizing attcks on Elijah who blocked them with ease. Castiel launched Dean into the air, hooking an arm around Lucifer's neck.

"Die bitch!" Dean snarled in his ear, putting him in a choke hold.

"I already told you Dean, if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me." The archangel summoned a massive amount of grace, revealing another pair of golden wings. Lucifer launched himself high into the atmosphere and began circling the edge of the planet at the speed of light, Dean holding on for dear life.

"Fuck. You." Dean felt Raphael's blade fall out sleave and into his hand, using it to stab devil in the back. Lucifer cried out in pain, dive bombing back towards the Earth's surface.

Castiel's eyes met Dean's as they fell, his mouth open in a silent cry.

"Dean!"

They hit the Earth like a moon sized bullet, the Earth exploding upon contact. Elijah felt his power break as Lucifer fell through the hole in the Earth. The seraph stared into the light bringers eyes as they fell, and the devil began to sing a familar tune:

_"Plant your hope with good seeds_

_Don't cover yourself with thistle and weeds_

_Rain down, rain down on me"_

The song struck a cord in Dean's heart, remebering the exact moment a hundred years ago, looking up at his lovers eyes as he died.

Dean stared up at the bright light of the burning Earth, eyes linking with Castiel's. And then he heard many voices at once.

"Dean!" Crowley shouted, delivering the death blow to Elijah.

"Dean-o!" Gabriel's familar voice screamed.

"Dean no!" Sam cried, latching onto the back on his dragon to keep from being swallowed up by the Earth.

"Dean. Don't leave me." Castiel's voice sobbed, racing to his mate helplessly, dodging massive pieces of the Earth's crust.

Dean. Dean. Dean!

The seraph's eyes flashed with determination and he turned away from his lover, his friends and his brother. Instead he faced death right in the face. Death being the Earth's molten mantle. Summoning everything he had left, Dean cloaked himself in Castiel's grace and lauched himself straight into the magma chamber. Past the mantle, straight through the core and out the other side of the Earth, cutting it clean in half. Spreading his arms wide, he waited until Lucifer had fallen directly in the center of the broken planet, before clasping his hands together. The two half of the planet smashed together, the pair of bonded grace enveloping the Earth in a brilliant white, healing its scars and washing away the bloodstained terrain.

* * *

**Song mentioned in this chapter:**

**Thistle and Weeds by: Mumford and Sons**


	22. Chapter 22

**I just want to send a general thank you to everyone who has been following this story. ****I had a blast writing it and I couldn't have done it without your support. Enjoy the last chapter. (It's kind of short)**

* * *

Having exhausted all his energy, Dean fell to the newly reformed Earth, sinking unconscious into the ocean.

"Dean!"

Castiel's voice echoed across the plane as he raced across the earth and dived into the ocean like a bullet. Dean's body rested on the seafloor unmoving, his mouth slightly open and water filling his lungs. Castiel cried out underwater, scoping his mate up in his arms and propelling to the surface.

"Dean! Oh my god, Dean!" Sam was distraut, watching Castiel drop his mate on the beach and pump air hopelessly into his chest. _Maybe angels didn't need to breathe_.

_"_Come on Dean, stay with me. Stay with me, dammit." Castiel growled, tears pouring down his face as he transferred his grace to Dean's body. The angel trembled, eyes wide in horror.

"You can't keep doing this to me Dean! Your family, and I need you." Castiel cradled Dean's head in his arms kissing him desperately. "I need you, please..."

Crowley, Gabriel and Sam watched helplessly as the seraph cried over his lover's body.

"I love you-"

_Thud_

"I love you-"

_Thud_

"I love you!"

Dean's eyes flew open and he coughed water and blood into the sand, casting a long glance around at his surrondings, eyes resting on Castiel.

The angel paused for a moment, lost in his green gaze before he broke down sobbing and pulling Dean into his arms as tightly as possible.

"I thought I lost you."

"Can't get rid of me that easy." Dean smiled as Sam rushed over, wrapping his arms around the pair.

Crowley nudged Gabriel in the ribs playfully. "With Lucifer and Elijah dead and Raphael out of the picture I guess that makes you the new leader upstairs. Consider this a formal invitation to visit me in hell anytime, darling." Crowley smirked, snapping his fingers and vanishing from the beach.

The dark cloud cover cleared, revealing the light of heaven shining brightly over the reborn Earth. If one looked hard enough, they could see the way the sunbeams formed a golden staircase, spiraling magnificently into the heavens.

"Come home my brothers." Michael's voice echoed across the land. Sam nodded at Gabriel and pecked him on the cheek, smiling.

"It's alright. You know where to find me." And with that the demon vanished in a cloud of smoke, disappearing over the horizon. Castiel linked arms with his brother and his lover, appearing a moment later in the Garden of heaven.

"Balthazar! Michael!" Gabriel rushed over, tackling the two angels in a bear hug. "Stop dying the lot of you, its making me sad." He smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Don't be sad brother. The Lord has prepared a place for us on heaven and on Earth as well, thanks to your efforts. The question is: where will you go?" Michael asked slinging an arm around Balthazar's shoulder.

Castiel and Dean shared a knowing look before embracing. "Wherever Dean is, that is the place for me."

Dean grinned, reaching up and kissing him deeply. "I could die and be reborn a thousand times and be happy. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Earth, wherever this love exists," He pulled away, staring deeply into Castiel's eyes.

"That is the place for us."

* * *

**This was my first fanfic so I hope it wasn't too bad. Let me know in the comments/reviews (whatever that box is called) If there are any loose ends I forgot to tie up or if there is something you'd like me to add.**

**Once again that you guys so much for reading this, it means the world to me *virtual hugs for all of you***

**I have started working on a new fic called "Good Intentions" which will focus mainly on Destiel (more so than this fic did) Check it out if it interests you :)  
**


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